1 00:00:11,044 --> 00:00:12,312 >> TONIGHT ON "DATELINE" - >> I HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD FROM 2 00:00:12,312 --> 00:00:14,848 MY DAUGHTER FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS I STARTED THINKING, "MAYBE 3 00:00:14,848 --> 00:00:19,085 SOMEBODY TOOK HER. >> Reporter: YOU KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG RIGHT AWAY 4 00:00:19,085 --> 00:00:24,891 >> SHE DIDN'T EVER NOT ANSWER HER PHONE. >> IT WAS MADDENING. 5 00:00:24,891 --> 00:00:27,694 IT WAS CRAZY >> WHEN THE OFFICER TRIED TO SPEAK WITH THE BOYFRIEND, HE WAS 6 00:00:27,694 --> 00:00:32,298 VERY CONFRONTATIONAL >> I'M NOT THE BEST PERSON WHEN I DO DRINK 7 00:00:32,298 --> 00:00:37,570 >> Reporter: DID YOU CONTACT THIS EX-HUSBAND OF HERS? >> YES 8 00:00:37,570 --> 00:00:47,013 THERE WAS A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGE WHERE HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN ARRESTED. 9 00:00:47,013 --> 00:00:48,515 >> Reporter: SUDDENLY YOUR MOM'S NOT AROUND >> I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO REALIZE 10 00:00:48,515 --> 00:00:50,316 SOMETHING SERIOUS WAS GOIN' ON >> THE LAST PERSON RITA WAS SEEN WITH WAS A SUSPECT IN A SEX 11 00:00:50,316 --> 00:01:06,132 ASSAULT. >> I WAS TRYING TO LEAVE AND HE KEPT, LIKE, PUSHING ME 12 00:01:06,132 --> 00:01:11,438 DOWN >> Reporter: DID HE TELL YOU WHAT HE WAS GONNA DO TO YOU? 13 00:01:11,438 --> 00:01:15,642 >> HE SAID HE WAS GONNA KILL ME. >> THERE WERE JUST TOO MANY SIMILARITIES TO REALLY DISCOUNT. 14 00:01:15,642 --> 00:01:17,210 I KNEW SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAD HAPPENED >> COME ON 15 00:01:17,210 --> 00:01:28,421 WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU >> A HEARTBROKEN FAMILY AND A DETERMINED DETECTIVE SEARCH FOR 16 00:01:28,421 --> 00:01:30,423 A MISSING MOM. CAN A STRANGER WHO ALMOST MET THE SAME FATE HELP FIND HER? 17 00:01:30,423 --> 00:01:32,092 YOU'RE ALONG FOR EVERY TWIST IN THE HUNT I'M LESTER HOLT AND THIS IS 18 00:01:32,092 --> 00:01:43,670 "DATELINE. HERE'S KEITH MORRISON WITH "FINDING RITA. 19 00:01:43,670 --> 00:01:48,942 >> Reporter: IT WAS A SATURDAY EVENING IN MARCH 2018. IT WAS ST. PATRICK'S DAY 20 00:01:48,942 --> 00:01:50,510 AND THE DOWNTOWN BARS IN LONGMONT, COLORADO, WERE NOISY CROWDED. 21 00:01:50,510 --> 00:02:05,325 CHEERFUL SO, DID ANYONE PAY ATTENTION TO THE MAN WHO MOVED ABOUT AMONG 22 00:02:05,325 --> 00:02:10,697 THEM OR WONDER WHAT HE WAS THINKING AS HE BEFRIENDED STRANGERS AT 23 00:02:10,697 --> 00:02:16,403 THE BAR? FEMALE STRANGERS WELL, WHY WOULD THEY 24 00:02:16,403 --> 00:02:25,412 THIS WAS A PLACE TO RELAX, TO BE HAPPY. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT 25 00:02:25,412 --> 00:02:29,582 RITA GUTIERREZ-GARCIA NEEDED TO GET OUT, FORGET HER TROUBLES. TO GET A FRESH START 26 00:02:29,582 --> 00:02:33,420 AND WASH THAT MAN RIGHT OUT OF HER HAIR JUST THAT VERY DAY RITA HAD 27 00:02:33,420 --> 00:02:36,089 BROKEN UP WITH HER LONGTIME BOYFRIEND. >> SHE WAS JUST LIKE, "I'M JUST 28 00:02:36,089 --> 00:02:40,293 GONNA GO OUT AND HAVE FUN, YOU KNOW I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT 29 00:02:40,293 --> 00:02:46,099 ANYTHING ELSE. >> Reporter: THIS IS DIANNE, RITA'S MOM 30 00:02:46,099 --> 00:02:52,405 WHAT DID THEY PLAN TO DO >> WELL, IT WAS -- ST. PATRICK'S DAY, SO THEY WERE JUST GONNA GO 31 00:02:52,405 --> 00:02:55,108 OUT AND CELEBRATE. >> Reporter: THOUGH, NOT TOO MUCH 32 00:02:55,108 --> 00:02:57,377 SHE WAS A SINGLE MOM, HAD THREE BOYS WAITING AT HOME >> SHE'S LIKE, "I'M NOT GONNA 33 00:02:57,377 --> 00:03:03,717 HAVE A LOT TO DRINK. I JUST WANT TO GO OUT AND HAVE FUN. 34 00:03:03,717 --> 00:03:05,385 >> Reporter: DON'T WORRY, SHE SAID, SHE'D BE WITH FAMILY, AND SHE'D BE HOME EARLY. 35 00:03:05,385 --> 00:03:13,560 HER MIDDLE SON, ROMAN. >> IT WAS LIKE ANY OTHER NIGHT AND WE WERE USED TO HER BEING 36 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:23,069 GONE NIGHTS BECAUSE SHE USED TO WORK NIGHTS. >> Reporter: WHEN HIS MOM WASN'T 37 00:03:23,069 --> 00:03:32,078 HOME, SAID ROMAN, HIS OLDER BROTHER WOULD BE IN CHARGE THIS NIGHT WAS NO DIFFERENT. 38 00:03:32,078 --> 00:03:36,950 >> SHE GOT READY AND THEN SAID 'BYE TO ALL OF US AND WE ALL SAID BYE BACK AND 39 00:03:36,950 --> 00:03:38,685 THEN SHE WALKED OUT THE DOOR >> Reporter: HER HALF-BROTHER PICKED HER UP AND THEY DROVE 40 00:03:38,685 --> 00:03:40,186 DOWNTOWN TO THE PUB DISTRICT IN LONGMONT IT WASN'T VERY BIG, MOST PLACES 41 00:03:40,186 --> 00:03:43,656 WITHIN A COUPLE OF BLOCKS OF EACH OTHER THROU 42 00:03:43,656 --> 00:03:45,291 >> WE KNEW SHE WAS OUT >> SHE WAS POSTING STORIES ON HER SNAPCHAT THROUGHOUT THE 43 00:03:45,291 --> 00:03:47,394 NIGHT. >> Reporter: AT HOME HER BOYS WENT TO BED EXPECTING TO SEE 44 00:03:47,394 --> 00:03:55,835 THEIR MOM IN THE MORNING BUT WHEN THEY WOKE UP, RITA WASN'T THERE 45 00:03:55,835 --> 00:04:03,343 THIS IS HER YOUNGEST SON REYES, WHO WAS NINE AT THE TIME >> I REMEMBER ME AND ROMAN WERE 46 00:04:03,343 --> 00:04:13,787 TRYIN' TO CALL HER AND SHE WOULDN'T PICK UP I WAS SCARED 47 00:04:13,787 --> 00:04:18,058 JUST BEING SCARED AND WORRIED. >> Reporter: RIGHT AROUND THEN RITA'S MOM DIANNE SHOWED UP TO 48 00:04:18,058 --> 00:04:24,064 TAKE THEM TO CHURCH. AND ENCOUNTERED WORRIED BOYS AND NO RITA. 49 00:04:24,064 --> 00:04:28,068 >> I THOUGHT, "WELL, MAYBE, MAYBE SHE DECIDED TO RECONCILE WITH DAVID." 50 00:04:28,068 --> 00:04:31,738 >> Reporter: THAT IS, RITA'S EX-BOYFRIEND, DAVID BREHM, THE ONE SHE'D JUST BROKEN UP WITH. 51 00:04:31,738 --> 00:04:38,611 OR, MAYBE SHE JUST HAD TO MUCH TO DRINK THAT NIGHT, AND STAYED OVER WITH FAMILY 52 00:04:38,611 --> 00:04:41,781 ANYWAY, THEY WERE SURE SHE'D BE HOME SOON, BECAUSE LATER THAT SUNDAY WAS A BIG FAMILY EVENT. 53 00:04:41,781 --> 00:04:52,892 A BABY SHOWER FOR RITA'S SISTER NICOLE SHE'D NEVER MISS THAT. 54 00:04:52,892 --> 00:05:06,639 BUT SHE DID. >> SO THAT'S WHEN WE WERE LIKE, "WHERE IS RITA 55 00:05:06,639 --> 00:05:08,308 WHY ISN'T RITA HERE? >> Reporter: WOULD SHE NOT SHOW UP FOR SOMETHING OF YOURS? 56 00:05:08,308 --> 00:05:12,312 >> NO. SHE WOULDN'T JUST DO THAT. >> Reporter: ALL AFTERNOON, INTO 57 00:05:12,312 --> 00:05:13,880 THE EVENING DIANNE AND HER DAUGHTERS KEPT CALLING NO PICKUP. 58 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:22,188 NO CALL BACKS. JUST A DEAFENING SILENCE WHAT HAPPENED IN HERE? 59 00:05:22,188 --> 00:05:28,795 DID YOU FEEL IT? >> PANIC AND FEAR. >> Reporter: RIGHT AT THE 60 00:05:28,795 --> 00:05:35,135 BEGINNING, 'CAUSE YOU KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG RIGHT AWAY >> WE KNEW 61 00:05:35,135 --> 00:05:37,604 YEAH SHE DIDN'T NOT -- EVER NOT ANSWER HER PHONE OR AT LEAST 62 00:05:37,604 --> 00:05:42,075 TEXT YOU AND LET YOU KNOW THAT SHE'S OKAY, OR SHE'S SOMEWHERE SO FOR HER TO NOT HAVE HER PHONE 63 00:05:42,075 --> 00:05:49,916 ON -- WASN'T RITA. >> Reporter: MONDAY MORNING ARRIVED, BUT NOT RITA. 64 00:05:49,916 --> 00:05:56,823 DIANNE, TRYING TO MAINTAIN A SENSE OF NORMALCY, DROVE HER GRANDKIDS TO SCHOOL. 65 00:05:56,823 --> 00:05:58,491 SHE DIDN'T SAY MUCH TO THEM. DIDN'T WANT TO ALARM THEM. >> MY GRANDMA AND MY FAMILY 66 00:05:58,491 --> 00:06:00,126 TRIED TO PROTECT US. THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA, LIKE, SCARE US OR TELL US SOMETHING 67 00:06:00,126 --> 00:06:06,399 THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HANDLE >> Reporter: AFTER DROPPING OFF 68 00:06:06,399 --> 00:06:10,036 THE KIDS AT SCHOOL DIANNE DROVE TO DAVID'S MOM'S HOUSE THAT IS, THE EX-BOYFRIEND'S MOTHER. 69 00:06:10,036 --> 00:06:14,307 >> AND I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW WHERE RITA'S AT. SHE'S NOT ANSWERING HER PHONE. 70 00:06:14,307 --> 00:06:19,346 IS SHE WITH DAVID? SO SHE CALLED HIM. AND HE SAID, "NO. SHE'S NOT WITH ME 71 00:06:19,346 --> 00:06:23,583 WHY WOULD SHE BE WITH ME SHE WAS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW --" >> Reporter: SOME OTHER GUY. 72 00:06:23,583 --> 00:06:26,920 >> "-- SHE'S PROBABLY OFF WITH SOME OTHER GUY." >> Reporter: FULL PANIC NOW. 73 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:28,488 >> I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, "COME ON WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?" 74 00:06:28,488 --> 00:06:32,726 WHY AREN'T YOU RETURNING MY CALLS? AND THEN, THE BOYS GOT OUT OF 75 00:06:32,726 --> 00:06:36,429 SCHOOL AND ONE OF HER SONS HAD A -- RECITAL. 76 00:06:36,429 --> 00:06:46,072 AND THEN, SHE DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR THAT >> Reporter: FIRST THE BABY 77 00:06:46,072 --> 00:06:47,540 SHOWER NOW THE RECITAL. VERY WORRIED NOW 78 00:06:47,540 --> 00:06:49,109 DIANNE CALLED THE LOCAL HOSPITALS. SHE WASN'T THERE 79 00:06:49,109 --> 00:06:55,982 COULD YOU BRING YOURSELF TO THINK THAT SHE HAD BEEN HARMED SOMEHOW? 80 00:06:55,982 --> 00:06:59,386 >> YEAH, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE SOMEBODY KIDNAPPED MY DAUGHTER >> Reporter: SO DIANNE MADE THE 81 00:06:59,386 --> 00:07:05,658 CALL SHE'D BEEN DREADING, TO THE LONGMONT POLICE. >> I HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD FROM 82 00:07:05,658 --> 00:07:06,860 MY DAUGHTER FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS THE POLICE WERE LIKE, 83 00:07:06,860 --> 00:07:12,732 "SOMETIMES, PEOPLE JUST -- YOU KNOW GO OFF. AND I'M LIKE, "BUT RITA DOESN'T 84 00:07:12,732 --> 00:07:21,307 EVER JUST GO OFF THIS LONG WITHOUT TELLING ME, YOU KNOW ESPECIALLY HER KIDS. 85 00:07:21,307 --> 00:07:23,410 >> Reporter: THAT WAS ENOUGH THEY ASSIGNED THE CASE TO DETECTIVE CODY CLARK 86 00:07:23,410 --> 00:07:37,123 >> THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT JUST WEREN'T QUITE ADDING UP, SOME THINGS THAT DIDN'T REALLY 87 00:07:37,123 --> 00:07:38,825 MAKE SENSE >> Reporter: OH HE HAD NO IDEA MAKING SENSE OF THINGS WOULD 88 00:07:38,825 --> 00:07:42,328 CONSUME THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF HIS LIFE AND SPAN TWO STATES. 89 00:07:42,328 --> 00:07:47,500 AND SPAN TWO STATES. AND TWO COUNTRIES. AND AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL, TWO 90 00:08:20,900 --> 00:08:25,805 TWO DAYS AND NO RITA ANYWHERE. SO DETECTIVE CODY CLARK WENT ABOUT LOOKING METHODICALLY 91 00:08:25,805 --> 00:08:28,274 >> WE WERE JUST GETTING THAT FIRST LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION, AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE 92 00:08:28,274 --> 00:08:29,609 OUT -- WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PLACES THAT SHE COULD HAVE GONE TO 93 00:08:29,609 --> 00:08:37,384 WHO MIGHT SHE HAVE REACHED OUT TO AND JUST TRYING TO KINDA PIECE 94 00:08:37,384 --> 00:08:41,054 TOGETHER THOSE LAST FEW HOURS THAT WE ABSOLUTELY KNEW WHERE SHE WAS. 95 00:08:41,054 --> 00:08:43,623 >> Reporter: BUT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, DETECTIVE CLARK FIRST HAD TO KNOW RITA, HER CUSTOMS 96 00:08:43,623 --> 00:08:45,525 AND HABITS, PAST AND PRESENT ANY LITTLE DETAIL THAT MIGHT PUT HIM ON THE PATH TO FINDING HER 97 00:08:45,525 --> 00:08:48,561 >> SO I INITIALLY START LOOKING UP FOR SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON RITA, TRYING TO 98 00:08:48,561 --> 00:08:55,368 LEARN WHO SHE WAS AND FIGURE OUT IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT I NEEDED TO BE AWARE OF. 99 00:08:55,368 --> 00:09:00,840 >> Reporter: WAS SHE THE SORT OF PERSON WHO'D WANT TO DISAPPEAR OR NOT 100 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:02,175 >> EXACTLY, RIGHT. DID SHE HAVE A PATTERN OF DOING THOSE THINGS 101 00:09:02,175 --> 00:09:06,479 YEAH SO THAT WAS A HUGE PART OF IT. >> Reporter: AND DETECTIVE CLARK 102 00:09:06,479 --> 00:09:13,853 SPOKE WITH RITA'S FAMILY WHO HAD A LOT TO TELL HIM ABOUT THE WOMAN THEY LOVED 103 00:09:13,853 --> 00:09:19,859 RITA GUTIERREZ-GARCIA WAS SMART AND KIND AND HAPPY SOMEONE WHO EMBRACED LIFE AND 104 00:09:19,859 --> 00:09:28,735 THOSE AROUND HER >> SHE WAS FUNNY SHE HAD THIS LITTLE -- YOU KNOW, 105 00:09:28,735 --> 00:09:32,839 SHE'D DO THIS WHEN SHE WAS JOKING WITH YOU OR JUST BEING A LITTLE SILLY 106 00:09:32,839 --> 00:09:38,144 SHE LOVED FASHION, SHOES, CLOTHES, HER HAIR. JUST ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING WITH 107 00:09:38,144 --> 00:09:43,249 HER HAIR >> Reporter: RITA WAS THE ELDEST OF DIANNE'S THREE DAUGHTERS, BIG 108 00:09:43,249 --> 00:09:51,358 SISTER TO NICOLE AND JESSICA >> SHE HAD A REALLY GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR 109 00:09:51,358 --> 00:10:04,004 SHE WAS ALWAYS MAKING US LAUGH WE USED TO CALL OURSELVES THE SILLY SISTERS OR SISSAROOS 110 00:10:04,004 --> 00:10:11,911 >> SHE WAS QUITE THE CHARACTER BUT SHE WAS A VERY THOUGHTFUL, SWEET PERSON, NURTURING. 111 00:10:11,911 --> 00:10:18,785 >> SHE'S A HUGE PART OF MY HEART. >> Reporter: RITA MARRIED EARLY, 112 00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:23,356 HAD HER KIDS EARLY BUT BY HER 30s, SHE WAS DIVORCED AND RAISING THE BOYS ON HER OWN, 113 00:10:23,356 --> 00:10:26,159 SOMETIMES WORKING TWO JOBS, OFTEN AT NIGHT >> SO SHE HAD TO CRAM A LOT INTO 114 00:10:26,159 --> 00:10:35,135 HER LIFE SO I'D SAY SHE WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE AND COMPLEX WOMAN 115 00:10:35,135 --> 00:10:40,206 >> Reporter: WITH PLANS. BIG PLANS. >> SHE WAS GOING TO BE A 116 00:10:40,206 --> 00:10:41,508 PARALEGAL. AND SHE WAS ALREADY JOB SEARCHING, SO SHE WAS VERY 117 00:10:41,508 --> 00:10:44,344 EXCITED ABOUT THAT SHE WAS LIKE, "I JUST WANNA HAVE A BETTER LIFE FOR MY KIDS. 118 00:10:44,344 --> 00:10:45,779 AND SHE'S LIKE, "I KNOW I CAN DO THIS." AND I SAID, "YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT 119 00:10:45,779 --> 00:10:56,256 YOU CAN. >> Reporter: SHE EVEN GOT HER VERY OWN FIRST CAR 120 00:10:56,256 --> 00:10:57,924 >> SHE WAS SO PROUD. I, MYSELF, WAS LIKE, "YOU COULD HAVE GOT SOMETHING MORE 121 00:10:57,924 --> 00:10:59,659 ECONOMICAL." BUT SHE'S LIKE, "JUST BE PROUD OF ME. 122 00:10:59,659 --> 00:11:04,197 AND I SAID, "I AM. I AM." >> Reporter: WHAT'D SHE BUY? 123 00:11:04,197 --> 00:11:11,571 >> SHE GOT A 2005 MERCEDES YEAH >> Reporter: SO WOULD SHE LEAVE 124 00:11:11,571 --> 00:11:15,775 ALL THAT AND JUST TAKE OFF >> IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE RIGHT OFF THE BAT, BUT IT WASN'T 125 00:11:15,775 --> 00:11:19,612 ANYTHING THAT POINTED TO US THINKING THAT THERE WAS ANY FOUL PLAY OR ANYTHING NEFARIOUS GOING 126 00:11:19,612 --> 00:11:33,326 ON EITHER. >> Reporter: NEVER ASSUME, SAID DETECTIVE CLARK. 127 00:11:33,326 --> 00:11:36,429 STILL, THERE WAS AN URGENT TASK, AND THAT WAS TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MEN IN RITA'S LIFE 128 00:11:36,429 --> 00:11:39,132 >> WE TRY AND LOOK FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, WHICH WOULD 129 00:11:39,132 --> 00:11:46,940 BE FORMER PARTNERS, BOYFRIENDS, HUSBANDS, THINGS LIKE THAT >> Reporter: SURE. 130 00:11:46,940 --> 00:11:54,881 >> PEOPLE WHO KNEW THEM AND WOULD HAVE A REASON WHY. >> Reporter: AND THERE WAS ONE 131 00:11:54,881 --> 00:11:58,018 PERSON WHO STOOD OUT TO CLARK -- DAVID BREHM. DIANNE TOLD THE COPS ABOUT 132 00:11:58,018 --> 00:12:02,822 RITA'S ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN BOYFRIEND. >> IT SOUNDED PRETTY TUMULTUOUS, 133 00:12:02,822 --> 00:12:21,241 THAT WHEN THINGS WERE GOOD, THEY WERE REALLY GOOD AND WHEN THEY WERE BAD, THEY 134 00:12:21,241 --> 00:12:23,510 WERE PRETTY BAD. AND YET, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY WOULD BREAK UP AND THEN 135 00:12:23,510 --> 00:12:25,178 THEY'D GET BACK TOGETHER BREAK UP AND GET BACK TOGETHER >> Reporter: AND EVEN THOUGH 136 00:12:25,178 --> 00:12:32,886 DAVID HIMSELF TOLD DIANNE RITA WAS NOT WITH HIM, LONGMONT PD HAD TO CHECK HIM OUT 137 00:12:32,886 --> 00:12:37,624 OF COURSE THEY DID AND SO THEY CALLED HIM >> WHEN THE OFFICER TRIED TO 138 00:12:37,624 --> 00:12:39,392 SPEAK WITH THE BOYFRIEND, HE WAS VERY CONFRONTATIONAL AND DIDN'T WANT TO PROVIDE A LOT OF 139 00:12:39,392 --> 00:12:40,894 INFORMATION. >> Reporter: DAVID TOLD THE OFFICER THAT HIS LAST CONTACT 140 00:12:40,894 --> 00:12:43,596 WITH RITA WAS BY EMAIL, ON SAINT PATRICK'S DAY, THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED. 141 00:12:43,596 --> 00:12:44,864 BUT WHEN ASKED IF HE WOULD FORWARD THE EMAIL, DAVID REFUSED. 142 00:12:44,864 --> 00:12:50,837 >> AND THAT KINDA KEYED SOME CONCERNS FOR HIM THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE 143 00:12:50,837 --> 00:12:55,175 THAT WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT HERE >> Reporter: WOW THAT'S A RED FLAG RIGHT IN FRONT 144 00:12:55,175 --> 00:12:59,279 OF -- RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU THERE. >> YEAH. 145 00:12:59,279 --> 00:13:03,483 YEAH ABSOLUTELY >> Reporter: SO NO MORE PHONE 146 00:13:03,483 --> 00:13:27,540 CALLS. NOW THEY WENT TO SEE DAVID IN >> Reporter: IT WAS WHEN THE 147 00:13:27,540 --> 00:13:31,745 POLICE GOT INVOLVED, THAT'S WHEN THE COLD REALITY HIT RITA'S SISTERS. 148 00:13:31,745 --> 00:13:39,219 >> WHEN WE WERE BEING INTERVIEWED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT WAS WHEN IT WAS 149 00:13:39,219 --> 00:13:42,288 THE REALEST AND THE SCARIEST LIKE I WAS JUST BAWLING, CRYING, SOBBING, BEGGING FIND HER FOR 150 00:13:42,288 --> 00:13:50,730 US >> Reporter: EX-BOYFRIEND DAVID DID NOT SOB OR BEG WHEN THE 151 00:13:50,730 --> 00:13:53,900 POLICE FIRST SPOKE TO HIM ON THE PHONE. HE SEEMED ANGRY, DEFENSIVE 152 00:13:53,900 --> 00:14:05,045 SO, DETECTIVES DROVE OUT TO NEARBY BOULDER WHERE DAVID LIVED. 153 00:14:05,045 --> 00:14:07,681 AND THIS TIME, THEY RECORDED THE CONVERSATION >> SO, I HAVE A FEW THINGS I 154 00:14:07,681 --> 00:14:10,950 WANT TO GO OVER WITH YOU >> Reporter: AND DAVID, WITHOUT BEING PROMPTED, OFFERED THIS 155 00:14:10,950 --> 00:14:12,919 ABOUT HIS BREAKUP WITH RITA. >> MY PAIN IS JUST LIKE SHE HASN'T EVEN TALKED TO ME 156 00:14:12,919 --> 00:14:20,293 SHE DIDN'T SAY "WE'RE DONE." SHE JUST SAID "I'M -- I'M WORN OUT WITH FIGHTING. 157 00:14:20,293 --> 00:14:25,498 >> Reporter: DAVID ADMITTED THERE WERE ISSUES. >> I'M NOT THE BEST PERSON WHEN 158 00:14:25,498 --> 00:14:29,269 I DO DRINK, AND, YOU KNOW, SHE'S DEALT WITH A LOT OF -- BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE LOVE 159 00:14:29,269 --> 00:14:31,971 EACH OTHER >> Reporter: HE TOLD THE DETECTIVES THAT A COUPLE WEEKS 160 00:14:31,971 --> 00:14:36,142 PRIOR THEY GOT INTO A PRETTY BAD ARGUMENT >> WHAT WAS YOUR BREAK UP ABOUT? 161 00:14:36,142 --> 00:14:40,880 >> I HAD A COUPLE OF BEERS AND HAD A MOUTH ON ME THAT DAY SO, YOU BRING UP OLD THINGS AND 162 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:45,618 SHE BLOCKED MY NUMBER FROM THAT MOMENT >> Reporter: THAT, SAID DAVID, 163 00:14:45,618 --> 00:14:52,492 WAS THE LAST TIME HE SAW RITA. AND THEN, TWO WEEKS LATER, ON SAINT PATRICK'S DAY, DAVID SENT 164 00:14:52,492 --> 00:14:57,263 RITA AN EMAIL. "PLEASE TALK TO ME." AND BEFORE RITA WENT OUT THAT 165 00:14:57,263 --> 00:14:59,466 EVENING, SHE REPLIED "MY HEART IS -- TIRED. I HOPE YOU FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN 166 00:14:59,466 --> 00:15:13,613 CHANGE YOU AND MAKE YOU HAPPY. GOD KNOWS I TRIED. >> THAT'S LITERALLY THE LAST 167 00:15:13,613 --> 00:15:20,320 THING SHE SAID IT WAS LIKE "LORD KNOWS I'VE TRIED. 168 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:31,531 >> WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT SHE HAD SENT HIM THIS EMAIL BASICALLY TELLING HIM THAT, YOU 169 00:15:31,531 --> 00:15:39,472 KNOW, SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE AROUND HIM ANYMORE AND TO, "ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR LIFE 170 00:15:39,472 --> 00:15:41,307 WITHOUT ME," THAT, OBVIOUSLY, POINTS US IN THAT DIRECTION OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER HE 171 00:15:41,307 --> 00:15:44,811 WAS INVOLVED >> Reporter: SO, THEY TRIED TO PIN DOWN WHERE DAVID HAD BEEN 172 00:15:44,811 --> 00:15:50,550 AND WHAT HE HAD BEEN DOING THAT SAINT PATRICK'S DAY. >> WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO THAT DAY? 173 00:15:50,550 --> 00:15:54,587 HOW DOES YOUR DAY WORK OUT YOU GET THIS EMAIL - >> YEAH -- SO I'VE BEEN VERY 174 00:15:54,587 --> 00:16:04,831 DOWN AND I SPENT TIME WITH MY MOM. >> Reporter: DAVID LET THE 175 00:16:04,831 --> 00:16:06,433 DETECTIVES TAKE A LOOK AROUND HIS APARTMENT. NOTHING STOOD OUT. 176 00:16:06,433 --> 00:16:09,169 HE ALSO AGREED TO GIVE THEM HIS DNA. >> I'M GONNA RUB ON THE SIDE OF 177 00:16:09,169 --> 00:16:14,107 YOUR CHEEKS. >> Reporter: BUT DAVID'S BEHAVIOR, THOUGH 178 00:16:14,107 --> 00:16:17,043 COOPERATIVE-ISH, WAS STILL UNUSUAL. >> HE WAS VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON 179 00:16:17,043 --> 00:16:20,146 TELLING US HOW TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION RATHER THAN TELLING US WHAT EXACTLY HE HAD 180 00:16:20,146 --> 00:16:24,384 BEEN DOING >> IT ALMOST SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING THAT I WAS TRYING TO 181 00:16:24,384 --> 00:16:28,588 PUT FORWARD NOBODY HADN'T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT. >> Reporter: WHEN A PERSON 182 00:16:28,588 --> 00:16:31,758 BEHAVES THAT WAY, IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU WANT TO SAY, "OKAY. NEVER MIND 183 00:16:31,758 --> 00:16:33,226 I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU. >> EXACTLY IT CONTINUED TO KIND OF STIR UP 184 00:16:33,226 --> 00:16:37,564 A LOT OF THOSE FEELINGS OF UNEASE >> Reporter: DETECTIVE CLARK 185 00:16:37,564 --> 00:16:43,903 TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO DAVID HOW THE PROCESS WORKED >> MY JOB WAS TO GATHER 186 00:16:43,903 --> 00:16:51,311 INFORMATION AND FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT HE HAD ANY INVOLVEMENT. 187 00:16:51,311 --> 00:16:56,583 AND THE SOONER THAT I COULD DETERMINE THAT HE WASN'T INVOLVED LIKE HE CLAIMED, THEN 188 00:16:56,583 --> 00:16:59,452 THE SOONER I COULD START FOCUSING MY EFFORTS ELSEWHERE. >> Reporter: SO, WAS DAVID 189 00:16:59,452 --> 00:17:01,054 TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING OR WAS HE GENUINELY UPSET? >> HE AGREED TO COME TO THE 190 00:17:01,054 --> 00:17:06,092 POLICE DEPARTMENT AND -- AND DO A POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION IN ORDER TO -- KIND OF, ALLEVIATE SOME OF 191 00:17:06,092 --> 00:17:14,034 MY CONCERNS. >> I'M AN AGENT WITH THE COLORADO BUREAU OF 192 00:17:14,034 --> 00:17:15,802 INVESTIGATIONS LONGMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT ASKED ME TO COME IN 'CAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, 193 00:17:15,802 --> 00:17:17,370 I'M IMPARTIAL. I'M NOT INVOLVED IN THIS CASE. >> Reporter: DAVID SHOWED UP AT 194 00:17:17,370 --> 00:17:20,407 THE POLICE STATION WITHOUT A LAWYER AND EVEN BEFORE THE CBI AGENT 195 00:17:20,407 --> 00:17:21,941 GOT STARTED -- >> THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT WE KIND OF HAVE TO RULE OUT IS 196 00:17:21,941 --> 00:17:23,710 SOMEBODY THAT HAS BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MISSING PERSON 197 00:17:23,710 --> 00:17:27,213 >> Reporter: DAVID FELL APART. >> I WANT TO BRING HER HOME MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE. 198 00:17:27,213 --> 00:17:33,053 I'M SORRY. >> THAT'S OKAY >> Reporter: HE ANSWERED EVERY 199 00:17:33,053 --> 00:17:41,461 QUESTION >> DO YOU PLAN TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS TRUTHFULLY 200 00:17:41,461 --> 00:17:44,130 >> YES >> DID YOU KILL THAT WOMAN >> NO. 201 00:17:44,130 --> 00:17:46,733 >> Reporter: BUT COULD NOT HOLD BACK THE TEARS >> CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT 202 00:17:46,733 --> 00:17:51,504 HER. >> OKAY. >> JUST EVERY TIME YOU SAY HER 203 00:17:51,504 --> 00:17:56,076 NAME, IT MAKES ME WANT TO -- CRY. >> OKAY. 204 00:17:56,076 --> 00:18:00,013 >> I MISS HER SO MUCH. >> Reporter: AFTER TWO HOURS AND FIVE TESTS, THE RESULTS WERE IN. 205 00:18:00,013 --> 00:18:04,184 SUMMARIZED IN JUST ONE WORD, INCONCLUSIVE >> THE EXAMINER TOLD ME THAT, 206 00:18:04,184 --> 00:18:11,591 ULTIMATELY, WHILE THE RESULTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE JUST DUE TO THE FACT OF HOW EMOTIONAL HE 207 00:18:11,591 --> 00:18:14,761 WAS, HE SAID, "I DON'T THINK THIS IS YOUR GUY." >> Reporter: BY NOW, DETECTIVES 208 00:18:14,761 --> 00:18:17,931 HAD ALSO SPOKEN TO DAVID'S MOM, AND CONFIRMED HIS ALIBI FOR THE NIGHT RITA WENT MISSING. 209 00:18:17,931 --> 00:18:28,041 >> WE WERE ABLE TO PRETTY CONCLUSIVELY CONFIRM THAT HE HAD BEEN AT HIS MOM'S HOUSE ALL 210 00:18:28,041 --> 00:18:34,848 EVENING. >> Reporter: SO HOW TO EXPLAIN DAVID'S EMOTIONAL, DEFIANT 211 00:18:34,848 --> 00:18:38,818 DEMEANOR >> THERE WAS ALL KINDS OF MISINFORMATION GOING AROUND TOWN 212 00:18:38,818 --> 00:18:43,790 ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AND IT WAS MAKING HIM MORE UPSET ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. 213 00:18:43,790 --> 00:18:45,925 >> Reporter: WHY WOULD THAT MAKE HIM MORE UPSET >> THERE WAS ALLEGATIONS THAT HE 214 00:18:45,925 --> 00:18:47,894 WAS INVOLVED WHICH, I GUESS, WAS JUST MAKING IT EVEN HARDER FOR HIM TO -- 215 00:18:47,894 --> 00:18:56,302 KIND OF FOCUS ON -- ON HELPING THE INVESTIGATION. >> Reporter: PERHAPS 216 00:18:56,302 --> 00:18:59,639 BUT WHEN WE SAT DOWN WITH DAVID HE TOLD US THAT WAS THE LEAST OF HIS CONCERNS 217 00:18:59,639 --> 00:19:06,513 >> I KNEW THAT I HAD NO INVOLVEMENT WITH IT. SO, WHY CONCERN MYSELF WITH 218 00:19:06,513 --> 00:19:08,882 THAT TO CONCERN MYSELF WITH WHAT PEOPLE MAY OR MAY NOT THINK, 219 00:19:08,882 --> 00:19:12,919 THAT'S THE LAST THING I COULD CARE ABOUT >> Reporter: NO, HE SAID, HIS 220 00:19:12,919 --> 00:19:14,888 MISSION WAS SIMPLY FINDING RITA. >> AND IF NOT FINDING HER, FINDING OUT WHAT -- WHO KNOWS 221 00:19:14,888 --> 00:19:17,057 WHAT AND HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED OR WHERE SHE IS THAT'S WHERE 100% OF MY 222 00:19:17,057 --> 00:19:20,226 ATTENTION WAS DEDICATED. >> Reporter: AS IT WAS FOR DETECTIVE CLARK, WHO BY NOW HAD 223 00:19:20,226 --> 00:19:23,430 LEARNED ABOUT ANOTHER MAN IN RITA'S LIFE. >> THERE WAS A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 224 00:19:23,430 --> 00:19:40,313 CHARGE WHERE HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN ARRESTED.E OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A HUGE PIECE OF 225 00:19:40,313 --> 00:19:44,517 THAT'S A HUGE PIECE OF INFORMATION. >> Reporter: THAT IS IF HE COULD 226 00:20:04,004 --> 00:20:07,240 BURIED IN AN OLD CRIME REPORT. IT PRACTICALLY LEAPT OUT AT DETECTIVE CODY CLARK, SOMETHING 227 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:19,285 IN RITA'S PAST HE COULD NOT IGNORE SHE WAS A BATTERED WIFE, BEATEN 228 00:20:19,285 --> 00:20:20,987 AND BRUISED REPEATEDLY BY THE FATHER OF HER THREE BOYS, HER EX-HUSBAND 229 00:20:20,987 --> 00:20:31,531 THE GUY'S NAME WAS GUTIERREZ ROICE GUTIERREZ. FOR YEARS RITA HAD KEPT THE 230 00:20:31,531 --> 00:20:33,800 ABUSE SECRET FROM HER OWN MOTHER, DIANNE >> I FOUND OUT THAT, LATER ON, 231 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:40,840 THAT HE WAS BEING ABUSIVE. >> Reporter: SHE DIDN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW AT FIRST 232 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:53,119 >> SHE DIDN'T WANT ME TO KNOW. AND THEY GOT SEPARATED A COUPLE OF TIMES 233 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:54,788 AND SHE, YOU KNOW, WOULD GO BACK AND THEN, FINALLY, ONE DAY, I 234 00:20:54,788 --> 00:20:58,958 JUST SAID, "WHEN YOU'RE COMPLETELY READY TO WALK AWAY, YOU WILL KNOW. 235 00:20:58,958 --> 00:21:03,163 >> Reporter: AND RITA DID KNOW AFTER ONE TERRIFYING NIGHT WHEN ROICE HELD HER DOWN ON THE BED 236 00:21:03,163 --> 00:21:05,899 AND COVERED HER MOUTH AND NOSE SO SHE COULDN'T BREATHE. AND THEN HE YELLED, AND HE BEAT 237 00:21:05,899 --> 00:21:10,570 HER. AND WHEN HE FINALLY LET UP, SHE SNEAKED A TEXT TO HER MOM, 238 00:21:10,570 --> 00:21:17,977 "HELP. DIANNE CALLED 911. YOU'VE RESCUED HER FROM A 239 00:21:17,977 --> 00:21:31,691 SITUATION IN A WAY, OR AT LEAST SHE'S RESCUED HERSELF, BUT - >> SHE RESCUED HERSELF 240 00:21:31,691 --> 00:21:44,371 BUT I HELPED HER YEAH >> Reporter: ROICE WAS ARRESTED 241 00:21:44,371 --> 00:21:46,473 AND WAS CONVICTED FOR ASSAULTING RITA SHE FILED FOR DIVORCE. 242 00:21:46,473 --> 00:21:52,812 AND THEN THERE WAS TROUBLE AGAIN WHEN ROICE VIOLATED RITA'S PROTECTIVE ORDER, AND HE WAS 243 00:21:52,812 --> 00:21:54,948 DEPORTED TO MEXICO SO AN ANGRY EX-HUSBAND WITH UNFINISHED BUSINESS? 244 00:21:54,948 --> 00:21:57,117 >> IT WAS SOMEBODY THAT I WANTED TO LOOK INTO AND LEARN MORE ABOUT. 245 00:21:57,117 --> 00:22:01,788 >> Reporter: I MEAN, THAT'S THE OBVIOUS SUSPECT IN MANY CASES. >> ABSOLUTELY. 246 00:22:01,788 --> 00:22:08,161 ABSOLUTELY >> Reporter: WAS IT POSSIBLE THAT ROICE SECRETLY RETURNED TO 247 00:22:08,161 --> 00:22:17,337 LONGMONT >> MAYBE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, HAPPENED BETWEEN THEM AND HE 248 00:22:17,337 --> 00:22:25,578 WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ELSE TO HER. >> Reporter: CLARK TRACKED DOWN 249 00:22:25,578 --> 00:22:27,180 HIS MEXICAN PHONE NUMBER AND CALLED HIM AND ASKED HIM ABOUT RITA 250 00:22:27,180 --> 00:22:29,282 >> HE EXPLAINED THAT HE VERY, VERY RARELY EVER SPOKE WITH RITA 251 00:22:29,282 --> 00:22:34,087 THEY HAD A DECENT RELATIONSHIP AS PARENTS, BUT THAT THE MAJORITY OF THEIR CONVERSATIONS 252 00:22:34,087 --> 00:22:42,495 WERE FOCUSED ON THE BOYS >> Reporter: SO WHERE WAS HE WHEN RITA VANISHED 253 00:22:42,495 --> 00:22:47,934 WELL, HE CERTAINLY WASN'T IN LONGMONT, COLORADO NO WAY 254 00:22:47,934 --> 00:22:51,538 >> I WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM, THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN 255 00:22:51,538 --> 00:22:53,340 IN THE COUNTRY FOR YEARS AT THAT POINT, AND THERE WAS NO RECORD OF HIM COMING BACK OVER THE 256 00:22:53,340 --> 00:22:57,811 BORDER INTO THE UNITED STATES. >> Reporter: DEAD END. SO DIANNE AND RITA'S SISTERS, 257 00:22:57,811 --> 00:23:13,660 WORRIED, UPSET, FRUSTRATED, HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE NBC AFFILIATE KUSA WAS THERE 258 00:23:13,660 --> 00:23:20,533 >> RITA IS MY SOULMATE SHE'S MY OLDER SISTER, AND I'VE NEVER HAD TO GO A DAY WITHOUT 259 00:23:20,533 --> 00:23:22,836 HER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. >> RITA, YOU'RE MY OLDEST. AND YOU ARE JESSICA'S SOULMATE 260 00:23:22,836 --> 00:23:24,371 NICOLE WALKED AWAY BECAUSE SHE'S REALLY HURTING AND WE JUST WANT YOU TO COME 261 00:23:24,371 --> 00:23:31,177 HOME THE BOYS NEED YOU. AND, UM, PLEASE, IF ANYBODY -- 262 00:23:31,177 --> 00:23:35,315 RITA OR ANYONE OUT THERE, ANYONE SEEING THIS, PLEASE CONTACT THE LONGMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT 263 00:23:35,315 --> 00:23:37,283 HELP US ALL OUT. >> Reporter: AND SHE TOLD THEM ALL JUST WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE 264 00:23:37,283 --> 00:23:47,994 HER IN THAT AWFUL TIME >> I JUST WANT TO SCREAM INSIDE. SHE'S MY DAUGHTER. 265 00:23:47,994 --> 00:23:59,139 AND I JUST NEED HER BACK HOME. >> Reporter: WATCHING IT ALL ON A LIVE STREAM WERE RITA'S BOYS 266 00:23:59,139 --> 00:24:06,279 >> WHEN THEY ACTUALLY WENT ON THE NEWS FOR THE FIRST, TIME THAT'S WHEN, LIKE, THE WORRY OF 267 00:24:06,279 --> 00:24:15,922 IT ALL SET IN. >> Reporter: THAT WOULD HIT YOU WITH A WALLOP AT THAT POINT. 268 00:24:15,922 --> 00:24:17,123 >> YEAH. 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE GONNA DO THAT. 269 00:24:17,123 --> 00:24:19,693 AND, LIKE, "HEY, THEY'RE ON THE NEWS RIGHT NOW." THAT'S, FOR ME, WHEN, LIKE, IT 270 00:24:19,693 --> 00:24:24,431 ALL HIT. LIKE, "THIS IS FOR REAL. THIS IS HAPPENING. 271 00:24:24,431 --> 00:24:30,236 >> Reporter: SUDDENLY RITA'S CASE WAS BIG NEWS IN COLORADO. >> RITA'S STORY WAS SO PREVALENT 272 00:24:30,236 --> 00:24:33,406 IN THE MEDIA AND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT -- THAT EVERYBODY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED 273 00:24:33,406 --> 00:24:40,280 AND WERE WILLING TO HELP >> Reporter: VOLUNTEERS QUICKLY MOBILIZED AND FANNED OUT ACROSS 274 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:53,993 BOULDER COUNTY TO POST FLIERS AND LOOK FOR RITA ANYWHERE THEY COULD THINK OF 275 00:24:53,993 --> 00:24:57,797 ONE OF THOSE SEARCHING WAS DAVID BREHM. >> I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO 276 00:24:57,797 --> 00:25:00,333 UNDERSTAND THE PAIN, WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE SEARCHING FOR YOUR LOVED ONE 277 00:25:00,333 --> 00:25:08,808 IT'S A HORRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCE TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH >> Reporter: WITH, IN HIS CASE, 278 00:25:08,808 --> 00:25:17,283 SUFFOCATING GUILT, DAVID TOLD US GUILT FOR STARTING THAT AWFUL 279 00:25:17,283 --> 00:25:29,396 ARGUMENT, THE ONE THAT FINALLY DROVE HER AWAY JUST BEFORE SAINT PATRICK'S DAY. 280 00:25:29,396 --> 00:25:32,065 >> IF I DIDN'T DRINK THAT BEER THAT DAY, SHE MIGHT STILL BE HERE 281 00:25:32,065 --> 00:25:36,336 THAT DAY COULD HAVE BEEN THE CATALYST TO WHATEVER HAPPENED. BUT IF IT WOULD HAVE WENT 282 00:25:36,336 --> 00:25:43,677 DIFFERENTLY, WE WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE TODAY >> Reporter: NOTHING TO DO NOW 283 00:25:43,677 --> 00:25:49,482 BUT KEEP SEARCHING AND VERY EARLY ON, DETECTIVE CLARK ENCOUNTERED -- WAS IT A 284 00:25:49,482 --> 00:25:53,787 CLUE OR JUST A COINCIDENCE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAD HAPPENED BEFORE TO ANOTHER YOUNG WOMAN 285 00:25:53,787 --> 00:25:57,357 SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAD HAPPENED BEFORE TO ANOTHER YOUNG WOMAN WHO'D MET A MAN IN THE VERY SAME 286 00:26:19,646 --> 00:26:22,816 IT SEEMED THE WHOLE TOWN WAS LOOKING FOR RITA, BUT NEITHER THE SEARCH NOR HIS INVESTIGATION 287 00:26:22,816 --> 00:26:24,884 HAD PRODUCED ANY REAL LEADS. EXCEPT, THERE WAS THIS ONE CLUE. IN FACT, IT WALKED RIGHT OVER TO 288 00:26:24,884 --> 00:26:27,053 FIND HIM A COLLEAGUE THOUGHT CLARK SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ANOTHER ACTIVE CASE 289 00:26:27,053 --> 00:26:35,462 ABOUT A WOMAN NAMED KAYLENE, KK TO HER FRIENDS AND THE HAIR-RAISING STORY OF 290 00:26:35,462 --> 00:26:41,301 WHAT HAPPENED TO HER AFTER A NIGHT AT ONE OF THE VERY SAME BARS WHERE RITA WENT BEFORE SHE 291 00:26:41,301 --> 00:26:45,505 DISAPPEARED. IT WAS FOUR MONTHS EARLIER, ON THANKSGIVING NIGHT, 2017 292 00:26:45,505 --> 00:26:59,085 HERE IS KK TO TELL THE STORY >> IT WAS A GOOD TIME, JUST TO GET OUT AND LISTEN TO MUSIC WITH 293 00:26:59,085 --> 00:27:04,624 MY FRIENDS >> Reporter: A CASUAL MEETUP FOR A GROUP OF 20-SOMETHINGS TO LET 294 00:27:04,624 --> 00:27:13,633 LOOSE A BIT AFTER FAMILY DINNER. YOU DIDN'T WANT IT TO END. >> SO THAT'S WHY WE ENDED UP 295 00:27:13,633 --> 00:27:15,402 GOING TO THE AFTER-PARTY >> Reporter: SHE AND SOME OF HER FRIENDS KEPT THE PARTY GOING AT 296 00:27:15,402 --> 00:27:21,307 A HOUSE NEARBY AND THEN, WAS IT THE BOOZE, OR SOMETHING IN IT? 297 00:27:21,307 --> 00:27:27,747 SHE BEGAN TO FEEL UNWELL >> CONFUSED, NAUSEOUS, INTOXICATED. 298 00:27:27,747 --> 00:27:34,621 I JUST WANTED TO GO HOME >> Reporter: SHE'D ARRANGED BEFOREHAND TO CALL A FRIEND FOR 299 00:27:34,621 --> 00:27:40,427 A RIDE, BUT HER PHONE WAS DEAD >> SO I PLUGGED MY PHONE IN, TRYING TO GET IT TO CHARGE 300 00:27:40,427 --> 00:27:42,529 AND THEN, THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING WENT TO, LIKE, A BLUR 301 00:27:42,529 --> 00:27:44,764 >> Reporter: SHE WENT OUTSIDE TO GET SOME AIR, AND A GUY FOLLOWED HER. 302 00:27:44,764 --> 00:27:59,112 A GUY SHE'D MET EARLIER AT THE BAR. NOW HE'D UNPLUGGED HER PHONE 303 00:27:59,112 --> 00:28:05,251 BEFORE IT COULD CHARGE, AND HANDED IT TO HER ALONG WITH HER PURSE 304 00:28:05,251 --> 00:28:10,023 TOLD HER SOMETHING BAD WAS HAPPENING INSIDE THEY HAD TO LEAVE. 305 00:28:10,023 --> 00:28:12,625 RIGHT AWAY >> HE PICKED ME UP AND JUST STARTED WALKING WITH ME. 306 00:28:12,625 --> 00:28:16,863 ARM AROUND MY WAIST AND WAS, LIKE, CARRYING ME BECAUSE I COULD HARDLY WALK OR STAND 307 00:28:16,863 --> 00:28:20,166 I WAS STARTING TO GET SCARED BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO >> Reporter: THE GUY BROUGHT HER 308 00:28:20,166 --> 00:28:25,839 TO THIS HOUSE. >> IT WAS REALLY COLD OUTSIDE. IT WAS, LIKE, DEAD WINTER. 309 00:28:25,839 --> 00:28:28,141 AND I WENT INSIDE, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE EVERYTHING FLIPPED. 310 00:28:28,141 --> 00:28:39,586 >> Reporter: HE TOLD HER SHE COULD PLUG IN HER PHONE AT THE TOP OF A FLIGHT OF STAIRS. 311 00:28:39,586 --> 00:28:50,130 IT TURNED OUT TO BE A BEDROOM. >> HE JUST STARTED PUSHING ME. THROWING ME ON THE BED 312 00:28:50,130 --> 00:28:55,435 IT'S LIKE YOUR MIND IS GOING, "WHAT CAN I DO TO GET OUT OF THIS SITUATION?" 313 00:28:55,435 --> 00:29:02,642 BUT IT'S LIKE MY BODY CAN'T DO THAT >> Reporter: DO YOU RECALL WHAT 314 00:29:02,642 --> 00:29:03,877 HAPPENED AFTER THAT? >> HE HAD -- BEGUN -- STRANGLING ME 315 00:29:03,877 --> 00:29:12,318 AND THEN HE'D KINDA, LIKE, SLAP ME AWAKE, AND THEN DO IT AGAIN, AND -- 316 00:29:12,318 --> 00:29:18,491 >> Reporter: AND YOU CAN'T BREATHE. >> NO. 317 00:29:18,491 --> 00:29:20,694 YOU CAN'T EVEN -- SWALLOW. YOU CAN'T BREATHE. YOU CAN'T MAKE SOUND 318 00:29:20,694 --> 00:29:22,529 AND IT JUST GOES BLACK >> Reporter: AGAIN AND AGAIN SHE STRUGGLED, TRIED TO BREATHE, 319 00:29:22,529 --> 00:29:23,930 BLACKED OUT. >> I WAS FULLY CLOTHED WHEN HE HAD STARTED. 320 00:29:23,930 --> 00:29:36,076 AND I WASN'T WHEN I WOKE BACK UP AT SOME POINT. >> Reporter: DID HE TELL YOU 321 00:29:36,076 --> 00:29:40,347 WHAT HE WAS GONNA DO TO YOU? >> HE SAID HE WAS GONNA KILL ME. AND HE JUST LAUGHED IN MY FACE 322 00:29:40,347 --> 00:29:41,848 YOU KNOW YOU GO FROM, LIKE, PANIC, TO FIGHT MODE, TO -- SORRY. 323 00:29:41,848 --> 00:29:50,056 >> Reporter: IT'S A HARD THING TO REMEMBER. >> BUT YOU GO TO WHERE YOU'RE 324 00:29:50,056 --> 00:30:00,867 THINKING IN YOUR HEAD ABOUT PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE AND YOU'RE NEVER GONNA SEE 'EM AGAIN. 325 00:30:00,867 --> 00:30:08,274 >> Reporter: THEN FINALLY, HE TURNED AWAY FOR A MOMENT >> AND I JUST STARTED RUNNING. 326 00:30:08,274 --> 00:30:14,647 AND, YOU KNOW, SCREAMING FOR HELP, AND BANGING ON THE WALLS >> Reporter: SHE RAN DOWN THE 327 00:30:14,647 --> 00:30:16,850 STAIRS, AND WITH HER ATTACKER CHASING HER, SHE MADE IT TO THE FRONT DOOR 328 00:30:16,850 --> 00:30:18,852 IT WAS LOCKED. AND THAT'S WHEN SHE SAW, IN THE LIVING ROOM, A MAN, A WOMAN, AND 329 00:30:18,852 --> 00:30:19,886 KIDS >> I WAS LIKE, "I WON'T CALL THE COPS 330 00:30:19,886 --> 00:30:25,692 I JUST WANT TO GO HOME PLEASE LET ME GO HOME. >> Reporter: AT THAT, SHE SAID, 331 00:30:25,692 --> 00:30:28,194 HER ATTACKER BACKED OFF, AND LIVING-ROOM MAN, THE ONE WITH THE WOMAN AND THE KIDS TOLD HER 332 00:30:28,194 --> 00:30:38,838 HE'D DRIVE HER HOME. GAVE HER A SHIRT TO PARTIALLY COVER HER NAKEDNESS. 333 00:30:38,838 --> 00:30:51,518 >> AND WE HAD BEEN DRIVING AND WE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN 334 00:30:51,518 --> 00:30:54,688 AND I GOT OUT. >> Reporter: YOU JUST JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR 335 00:30:54,688 --> 00:30:56,322 >> YEAH. I JUST GOT OUT AND RAN AND I RAN TO MY MOM'S HOUSE. 336 00:30:56,322 --> 00:30:57,857 >> Reporter: FOUR BLOCKS IN THE WINTER COLD. BAREFOOT 337 00:30:57,857 --> 00:30:59,959 ALL BUT NAKED. AND SHE FELL ON THE FLOOR AT HER MOTHER'S FEET. 338 00:30:59,959 --> 00:31:08,401 >> A GUY, UH, ATTACKED MY DAUGHTER LAST NIGHT AND RAPED HER. 339 00:31:08,401 --> 00:31:14,474 >> Reporter: A LONGMONT POLICE OFFICER DROVE KAYLENE TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE DETECTIVE 340 00:31:14,474 --> 00:31:21,081 SANDIE JONES MET KAYLENE >> IT WAS THE WORST I'D EVER SEEN 341 00:31:21,081 --> 00:31:34,794 HER EYES HAD HEMORRHAGED, SHE HAD MARKS ON THE BACK OF HER NECK 342 00:31:34,794 --> 00:31:45,338 SHE HAD BRUISES ON HER ARMS AND HER LEGS >> Reporter: THE NURSES TOOK 343 00:31:45,338 --> 00:31:51,177 PHOTOS AND COLLECTED THE EVIDENCE OF RAPE >> THIS WAS A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE 344 00:31:51,177 --> 00:31:53,380 CRIME. AND I WANTED TO FIND HIM >> Reporter: SO FIRST, SHE FOUND 345 00:31:53,380 --> 00:31:56,950 THE HOST OF THAT AFTER PARTY KK ATTENDED AND, WHAT WERE THE CHANCES 346 00:31:56,950 --> 00:32:00,720 THE HOUSE JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE A SECURITY CAMERA, WHICH CAPTURED THE MOMENT THAT GUY 347 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,823 HANDED KK HER PURSE, HER PHONE, AND HER CHARGER AS SHE SAT OUTSIDE. 348 00:32:03,823 --> 00:32:07,494 AND THEN, HERE, THEY ARE WALKING AWAY THE PARTY HOST DIDN'T KNOW THE 349 00:32:07,494 --> 00:32:10,397 GUY. SO, ASKED AROUND, GOT A NAME JUAN FIGUEROA. 350 00:32:10,397 --> 00:32:13,867 A NAME DETECTIVE JONES RECOGNIZED >> I KNEW THAT HE WAS ONE OF OUR 351 00:32:13,867 --> 00:32:18,605 CADETS >> Reporter: JUAN HAD ONCE BEEN ENROLLED IN THE EXPLORER PROGRAM 352 00:32:18,605 --> 00:32:25,478 AT LONGMONT PD HE WANTED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER. 353 00:32:25,478 --> 00:32:31,818 >> HE DID A RIDE-ALONG WITH ME WHEN I WAS IN THE TRAFFIC UNIT >> Reporter: CHRIS MERKLE WITH 354 00:32:31,818 --> 00:32:37,624 THE LONGMONT PD THEN >> I REMEMBERED HIM -- HANGIN' OUT WITH ME, BEING VERY 355 00:32:37,624 --> 00:32:41,961 TALKATIVE, AND BEING -- YOU KNOW, VERY GUNG-HO >> Reporter: BUT THEN JUAN STOLE 356 00:32:41,961 --> 00:32:45,565 A POLICE DEPARTMENT TASER, AND THEY CAUGHT HIM, AND HE WAS OUT. AND NOW HE WAS A PERSON OF 357 00:32:45,565 --> 00:32:48,601 INTEREST IN A SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE >> AND WE WERE GOING TO FAMILY 358 00:32:48,601 --> 00:32:53,473 MEMBERS AND TALKING WITH HIS FRIENDS AND TRYIN' TO FIND OUT WHERE HE WAS OR WHERE HE LIVED 359 00:32:53,473 --> 00:32:59,946 >> Reporter: NO LUCK BUT THEN, A BREAK. A HUGE ONE 360 00:32:59,946 --> 00:33:13,059 A WOMAN CALLED LONGMONT PD >> MY HUSBAND HAD TO GIVE A GIRL A RIDE HOME THAT WAS WITH OUR 361 00:33:13,059 --> 00:33:17,597 ROOMMATE AND THERE WERE SOME ALLEGATIONS BEING MADE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT 362 00:33:17,597 --> 00:33:19,299 >> Reporter: IT WAS JUAN'S HOUSEMATE. SHE GAVE POLICE THE ADDRESS. 363 00:33:19,299 --> 00:33:24,070 SO JONES GOT A SEARCH WARRANT, WENT TO THE HOUSE AND COLLECTED WHAT EVIDENCE SHE COULD. 364 00:33:24,070 --> 00:33:30,944 BUT WHAT SHE REALLY NEEDED WAS A DNA SAMPLE TO COMPARE WITH RESULTS OF THAT RAPE KIT 365 00:33:30,944 --> 00:33:38,852 THE TROUBLE WAS, JUAN SEEMED TO HAVE GONE UNDERGROUND. HE JUST WASN'T AROUND AT ALL 366 00:33:38,852 --> 00:33:44,457 >> NO. I COULDN'T FIND HIM. >> Reporter: BUT WHAT WAS AROUND 367 00:33:44,457 --> 00:33:47,327 TOWN, SPREAD APPARENTLY BY JUAN, WAS A POISONOUS STORY ABOUT KAYLENE. 368 00:33:47,327 --> 00:33:49,896 A STORY COMPLETELY AT ODDS WITH WHAT SHE EXPERIENCED WHAT WAS HIS STORY 369 00:33:49,896 --> 00:33:51,664 >> THAT I WAS DRUNK, AND I WANTED TO HOOK UP, AND -- I GOT UPSET BECAUSE MY EX-BOYFRIEND 370 00:33:51,664 --> 00:33:53,166 WAS GONNA FIND OUT, AND SO I CRIED, "RAPE." >> Reporter: IT WAS LIKE SHE'D 371 00:33:53,166 --> 00:34:01,041 BEEN ATTACKED ALL OVER AGAIN NOW DESPERATELY FRIGHTENED AND HER ATTACKER WAS STILL OUT 372 00:34:01,041 --> 00:34:07,914 THERE SOMEWHERE. >> I UNDERSTAND THE POLICE HAD TO MAKE A CASE TO ARREST HIM 373 00:34:07,914 --> 00:34:18,124 THEY HAD TO GET EVIDENCE SO THEN, IT MADE PEOPLE BE LIKE, "YOU'RE A LIAR OR ELSE HE'D BE 374 00:34:18,124 --> 00:34:19,559 IN JAIL. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED." >> Reporter: SHE FELT LIKE 375 00:34:19,559 --> 00:34:21,594 EVERYBODY WAS JUDGING HER, AND SHE HID AWAY SHE TRIED TO END IT ALL. 376 00:34:21,594 --> 00:34:33,807 WHAT DID YOU DO? >> I ATE A BOTTLE OF PILLS AND I CUT MY WRISTS. 377 00:34:33,807 --> 00:34:42,315 >> SHE JUST FELT LIKE SHE WAS UNDERGROUND, FIVE FEET UNDERGROUND -- AND THAT THERE 378 00:34:42,315 --> 00:34:44,851 WAS NO COMING OUT OF IT. >> Reporter: KAYLENE'S SISTER JAZMINE. 379 00:34:44,851 --> 00:34:46,086 >> IT WAS HARD IT WAS LIKE WE WERE LIVING A NIGHTMARE. 380 00:34:46,086 --> 00:34:47,787 AND IT JUST BROKE MY HEART THAT SHE HAD BEEN HURT IN W -- IN OUR TOWN, THAT WE CALL HOME. 381 00:34:47,787 --> 00:34:55,628 >> Reporter: NOW, IN MARC DETECTIVE CLARK AND DETECTIVE JONES COMPARED NOTES 382 00:34:55,628 --> 00:35:08,074 ONE WOMAN BRUTALLY RAPED THE OTHER MISSING. BOTH HAD BEEN AT THE SAME 383 00:35:37,337 --> 00:35:44,210 SHE'S NEVER GONE FOR THIS LONG >> Reporter: DAYS HAD GONE BY, AND RITA HAD STILL NOT MADE IT 384 00:35:44,210 --> 00:35:53,720 HOME TO HER BOYS BUT ROMAN, RITA'S MIDDLE CHILD, HELD ON TO HOPE. 385 00:35:53,720 --> 00:35:59,159 OR TRIED TO. >> I TRIED TO STAY AS POSITIVE AS I COULD AND JUST THINK, LIKE, 386 00:35:59,159 --> 00:36:02,328 I NEVER WANTED TO SAY THE PHRASE WHAT IF SHE DOESN'T COME HOME BECAUSE THEN I FELT LIKE THAT'D 387 00:36:02,328 --> 00:36:09,536 BE ME GIVING UP. >> Reporter: DETECTIVE SANDIE JONES, INVESTIGATING THE 388 00:36:09,536 --> 00:36:11,671 ASSAULT ON KAYLENE, WAS WORRIED THAT THE SAME THING, OR WORSE, MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO RITA. 389 00:36:11,671 --> 00:36:14,307 >> WHAT ON EARTH HAPPENED TO HER? AND IF HE HAD ANYTHING TO DO 390 00:36:14,307 --> 00:36:18,945 WITH THIS, IT'S VERY SCARY VERY, VERY SCARY >> Reporter: WELL, IN FACT, 391 00:36:18,945 --> 00:36:21,214 ACCORDING TO RITA'S COMPANIONS, JUST BEFORE SHE VANISHED, A GUY DID TRY TO HIT ON RITA 392 00:36:21,214 --> 00:36:23,049 >> THEY SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A PERSON WHO HAD WALKED UP TO RITA AND TRIED 393 00:36:23,049 --> 00:36:34,861 STRIKING UP A CONVERSATION WITH HER. AND THEY JUST KINDA TOLD HIM TO 394 00:36:34,861 --> 00:36:41,201 LEAVE AND TO LEAVE HER ALONE >> Reporter: RITA'S COUSIN SAID THE GUY INTRODUCED HIMSELF AS 395 00:36:41,201 --> 00:36:50,176 JUAN JUAN FIGUEROA. AND HE DID GO AWAY, BUT LATER, 396 00:36:50,176 --> 00:36:52,812 SAID THE COUSIN, SOMETIME AFTER 2:00 A.M., THERE HE WAS AGAIN OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT, 397 00:36:52,812 --> 00:37:00,220 WHERE RITA WAS WAITING FOR HER RIDE HOME. JUAN FIGUEROA. 398 00:37:00,220 --> 00:37:02,856 DID YOU KNOW THAT NAME >> I DIDN'T. HE WAS NOT SOMEBODY THAT I WAS 399 00:37:02,856 --> 00:37:04,424 REALLY FAMILIAR WITH >> Reporter: UNTIL, OF COURSE, CLARK SPOKE TO JONES 400 00:37:04,424 --> 00:37:14,034 >> HE HAD BEEN CONVICTED OF A FEW DIFFERENT MINOR THEFTS AND HAD BEEN IN JAIL NUMEROUS TIMES. 401 00:37:14,034 --> 00:37:20,840 >> Reporter: SO, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A GUY WHO HAS SHOWN A PROPENSITY FOR MAKING BAD 402 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:27,147 DECISIONS. >> YEAH. >> Reporter: EVEN SO, THERE WAS 403 00:37:27,147 --> 00:37:31,918 NO EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR RITA'S DISAPPEARANCE. 404 00:37:31,918 --> 00:37:33,653 >> JUST BECAUSE HE WAS THE LAST PERSON SEEN IN THE PARKING LOT DOESN'T MEAN THAT HE WAS 405 00:37:33,653 --> 00:37:37,791 INVOLVED >> Reporter: NO, BUT MAYBE, THEY FIGURED, MAYBE THEY COULD SEE 406 00:37:37,791 --> 00:37:41,428 HIM OR EVEN SEE HIM APPROACHING RITA IN THE BAR OR IN THE PARKING LOT, NIGHT SHE VANISHED. 407 00:37:41,428 --> 00:37:53,573 UP AND DOWN THE STREETS AND ALLEYS OF DOWNTOWN LONGMONT WERE DOZENS OF PRIVATELY OWNED 408 00:37:53,573 --> 00:38:01,514 SECURITY CAMERAS >> WE DID A CANVASS OF, I WANT TO SAY, 10 OR 15 BLOCKS OF THE 409 00:38:01,514 --> 00:38:03,616 DOWNTOWN AREA OF EVERY BUSINESS, EVERY, YOU KNOW, RESIDENCE THAT HAD CAMERAS IN THAT AREA 410 00:38:03,616 --> 00:38:08,722 >> Reporter: HOW MANY HOURS OF FOOTAGE DID YOU HAVE >> OH, DOZENS. 411 00:38:08,722 --> 00:38:14,194 ONE BUSINESS MAY HAVE SEVERAL CAMERAS WITH DIFFERENT ANGLES, YOU KNOW, OVER THIS, YOU KNOW, 412 00:38:14,194 --> 00:38:20,033 SEVERAL HOUR TIME PERIOD THAT WE HAD TO LOOK AT >> Reporter: IT WAS CHAOTIC, AT 413 00:38:20,033 --> 00:38:28,041 FIRST. LIKE TEARING APART THE HAYSTACK INCH BY INCH LOOKING FOR SOME 414 00:38:28,041 --> 00:38:29,509 GRAINY IMAGE THAT MIGHT BE JUAN OR RITA. AND THEN FINALLY, JUST A 415 00:38:29,509 --> 00:38:32,045 GLIMPSE. BUT IT WAS HER IT WAS RITA ENTERING A BAR IN 416 00:38:32,045 --> 00:38:39,552 DOWNTOWN LONGMONT AT 1:08 A.M. WITH HER COUSIN AND HER COUSIN'S BOYFRIEND. 417 00:38:39,552 --> 00:38:45,458 >> IT KIND OF HELPED START TO FILL IN SOME OF THOSE PIECES, YOU KNOW 418 00:38:45,458 --> 00:38:47,627 'CAUSE WE KNEW THAT THEY WERE AT THE BAR THAT EVENING BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE 419 00:38:47,627 --> 00:38:51,664 WHAT WERE THEY DOING WHO ELSE WERE THEY TALKING TO? WAS THERE A FIGHT? 420 00:38:51,664 --> 00:38:57,570 THERE WERE SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD. >> Reporter: LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, 421 00:38:57,570 --> 00:39:02,208 COULD THEY PROVE JUAN FIGUEROA WAS AT THE BAR THAT NIGHT. DID RITA'S COUSIN HAVE THE RIGHT 422 00:39:02,208 --> 00:39:05,578 NAME, THE RIGHT PERSON AND YES, JUAN WAS THERE. CAMERAS CAPTURED HIM ENTERING 423 00:39:05,578 --> 00:39:17,557 THE BAR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER RITA AND THEN, MINUTES LATER HERE HE 424 00:39:17,557 --> 00:39:21,828 WAS AGAIN, TALKING TO SOMEONE OFF-SCREEN AND PAY CLOSE ATTENTION, THE 425 00:39:21,828 --> 00:39:24,931 PERSON HE IS TALKING TO BRIEFLY COMES INTO FRAME IT'S RITA! 426 00:39:24,931 --> 00:39:37,110 >> SO NOW WE WANT TO KNOW WHO ELSE SAW THAT CONVERSATION WHAT WAS THAT CONVERSATION 427 00:39:37,110 --> 00:39:40,046 ABOUT? AGAIN, IT JUST -- IT OPENED UP SO MANY DOORS, 'CAUSE IT FINALLY 428 00:39:40,046 --> 00:39:41,448 STARTED TO FOCUS US A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT WE NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT. 429 00:39:41,448 --> 00:39:43,450 >> Reporter: AND THEN, 1:52 A.M., RITA WALKED OUT OF THE BAR. 430 00:39:43,450 --> 00:39:47,153 >> THAT SAME PERSON WAS SEEN WAVING AT HER TRYING TO GET HER ATTENTION. 431 00:39:47,153 --> 00:40:04,571 BUT SHE IGNORED HIM WHEN SHE LEFT THE BAR >> Reporter: A MINUTE LATER, 432 00:40:04,571 --> 00:40:06,306 JUAN MADE HIS WAY TOWARD THE SAME EXIT. AND EVENTUALLY, RITA ENDED UP AT 433 00:40:06,306 --> 00:40:18,952 THAT PARKING LOT WHERE THE COUSIN SAID SHE SAW JUAN FIGUEROA. 434 00:40:18,952 --> 00:40:24,157 HAD HE FOLLOWED HER THERE? THE TROUBLE WAS THERE WAS NO VIDEO FROM THAT PARKING LOT. 435 00:40:24,157 --> 00:40:25,759 SO, WHAT HAPPENED? DID JUAN ASSAULT HER THERE DID HE TAKE HER SOMEWHERE? 436 00:40:25,759 --> 00:40:27,627 OR HAD RITA, LIKE KK, ESCAPED. NOW TWO DETECTIVES, WORKING TWO SEPARATE CASES WERE LOOKING FOR 437 00:40:27,627 --> 00:40:38,471 THE SAME MAN AND ONCE AGAIN, HE WAS IN THE WIND 438 00:40:38,471 --> 00:40:53,720 >> WE WERE TRYING TO TRACK HIM DOWN BUT IT ALWAYS FELT LIKE WE WERE 439 00:41:20,547 --> 00:41:22,082 >> I FELT LIKE I FAILED HER. I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR MY DAUGHTER 440 00:41:22,082 --> 00:41:26,853 >> Reporter: DIANNE ROMERO WAS BROKEN NO SIGN OF HER DAUGHTER RITA 441 00:41:26,853 --> 00:41:29,089 SINCE ST. PATRICK'S DAY. FEELING HELPLESS, SHE PLACED EVERY SHRED OF HOPE SHE HAD IN 442 00:41:29,089 --> 00:41:39,532 DETECTIVE CODY CLARK AND THE LONGMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT >> THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WERE 443 00:41:39,532 --> 00:41:44,270 GONNA TAKE CARE OF US, THEY WERE GONNA HELP US. >> FOR ME, IT WAS ABOUT GIVING 444 00:41:44,270 --> 00:41:47,707 THE FAMILY THAT ANSWER OF WHERE RITA WAS THAT THEY DESERVED THAT CLOSURE 445 00:41:47,707 --> 00:41:51,678 OF KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED TO HER. >> Reporter: TO DO THAT, INVESTIGATORS DUG INTO THE BAR'S 446 00:41:51,678 --> 00:41:57,484 SECURITY CAMERA VIDEO WHERE THEY SAW RITA HEADING OUT THE DOOR. AND THE GUY WATCHING HER LEAVE 447 00:41:57,484 --> 00:42:12,265 WAS JUAN FIGUEROA, THE SUSPECT IN KAYLENE'S RAPE CASE BUT THERE WAS NO VIDEO TO SHOW 448 00:42:12,265 --> 00:42:16,603 WHAT HAPPENED AFTER SHE LEFT THE BAR. EXCEPT, DETECTIVE CLARK GOT HER 449 00:42:16,603 --> 00:42:19,105 PHONE RECORDS, AND THERE SHE WAS, EERILY, NOT ACTUALLY HER, OF COURSE, BUT HER PHONE, HE 450 00:42:19,105 --> 00:42:23,877 COULD SEE WHERE IT WENT, MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT THE PHONE PUT HER NEAR THIS 451 00:42:23,877 --> 00:42:26,579 PARKING LOT, JUST BEHIND THE BARS, AROUND 2:30 IN THE MORNING. 452 00:42:26,579 --> 00:42:30,283 AFTER WHICH, IT SLOWLY MOVED >> SO, SHE ENDS UP WALKING A FEW BLOCKS TO THE NORTH AND THEN HER 453 00:42:30,283 --> 00:42:45,098 PHONE IS STATIONARY. AND IT'S NOT MOVING. IT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE FOR 454 00:42:45,098 --> 00:42:47,467 ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR SO AND WHEN WE WENT BACK AND REVIEWED SOME OF THE OTHER 455 00:42:47,467 --> 00:42:49,803 FOOTAGE THAT WE HAD FOUND, WE FOUND A VEHICLE THAT WENT INTO THE SAME AREA WHERE HER PHONE 456 00:42:49,803 --> 00:42:53,506 WAS STATIONARY >> Reporter: WHAT WAS THE VEHICLE? 457 00:42:53,506 --> 00:43:03,049 >> IT WAS A WHITE PICKUP TRUCK AND IT HAD ORANGE CONSTRUCTION MARKER LIGHTS ACROSS THE TOP, 458 00:43:03,049 --> 00:43:04,584 WHICH IS PRETTY DISTINCT BUT ONE OF THOSE SPECIFIC LIGHTS WAS ACTUALLY OUT 459 00:43:04,584 --> 00:43:09,322 SO, IT MADE IT EVEN MORE DISTINCTIVE ON THE VIDEO >> Reporter: 3:03 A.M., RITA'S 460 00:43:09,322 --> 00:43:16,196 PHONE TRAVELED AGAIN >> BUT IT'S NOT MOVING LIKE SOMEBODY'S WALKING 461 00:43:16,196 --> 00:43:24,104 IT'S MOVING SO QUICKLY LIKE SOMEBODY'S DRIVING >> Reporter: IT'S IN A CAR 462 00:43:24,104 --> 00:43:28,341 >> RIGHT >> Reporter: AND RIGHT AT THAT SAME TIME, 3:03 A.M., THERE WAS 463 00:43:28,341 --> 00:43:36,249 THE TRUCK AGAIN. >> HER PHONE PINGS IN THAT AREA AND THAT SAME VEHICLE TRAVELS 464 00:43:36,249 --> 00:43:41,087 RIGHT THROUGH THAT AREA AT THAT EXACT TIME >> Reporter: A MINUTE LATER, 465 00:43:41,087 --> 00:43:45,825 ANOTHER SECURITY CAMERA CAUGHT THE SAME TRUCK AND IT WASN'T JUST ANY TRUCK 466 00:43:45,825 --> 00:43:49,996 DETECTIVE JONES CONFIRMED IT THAT WAS THE TRUCK JUAN WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE WORKED ON 467 00:43:49,996 --> 00:43:57,370 KAYLENE'S CASE >> IT JUST CONTINUED TO KIND OF PUSH US IN THE DIRECTION THAT HE 468 00:43:57,370 --> 00:43:59,005 KNEW A LOT MORE THAN -- THAN WE INITIALLY THOUGHT. THAT HE WASN'T JUST THE LAST 469 00:43:59,005 --> 00:44:03,510 PERSON SEEN WITH HER BEFORE SHE LEFT, BUT THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN THE LAST PERSON WITH HER, 470 00:44:03,510 --> 00:44:07,480 PERIOD >> Reporter: AND THERE WAS MORE DETECTIVE CLARK GLEANED FROM 471 00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:15,588 RITA'S CELL PHONE RECORDS. >> AT ABOUT 3:07 IN THE MORNING, HER PHONE DIALED 911 472 00:44:15,588 --> 00:44:21,661 WHEN THE OPERATOR ANSWERED, THERE WAS NOBODY THERE IT HAD ALREADY HUNG UP 473 00:44:21,661 --> 00:44:23,730 >> Reporter: DISPATCH CALLED THE NUMBER BACK TWICE. BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER. 474 00:44:23,730 --> 00:44:25,865 THEY TRIED TO TRACE THE CALL, BUT COULDN'T PINPOINT ITS LOCATION 475 00:44:25,865 --> 00:44:30,503 A 911-CALL FOR HELP, AND THEN, NOTHING. JUST AN AWFUL, DEATHLY SILENCE 476 00:44:30,503 --> 00:44:35,909 >> MY HEART SANK AND THAT'S WHEN I KNEW THAT THIS WASN'T JUST A MISSING PERSON 477 00:44:35,909 --> 00:44:39,079 THAT SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAD HAPPENED >> Reporter: AND SO, HE CALLED 478 00:44:39,079 --> 00:44:50,156 HER FAMILY INTO THE POLICE STATION AND SAT THEM DOWN AND DELIVERED THE NEWS 479 00:44:50,156 --> 00:44:51,791 RITA WASN'T COMING HOME. >> IT WAS AWFUL. IT WAS HORRIBLE TO TEAR AWAY 480 00:44:51,791 --> 00:44:54,494 THAT HOPE FROM THEM THAT THEY HAD BEEN HOLDING ON TO AND TELLING THEM TO NOW PREPARE FOR 481 00:44:54,494 --> 00:45:02,836 THE ABSOLUTE WORST THING IMAGINABLE >> Reporter: BUT THE FAMILY? 482 00:45:02,836 --> 00:45:08,341 >> I DIDN'T WANT TO ACCEPT THAT. I STILL HAD SOME HOPE AND SOME FAITH THAT SHE WAS STILL GONNA 483 00:45:08,341 --> 00:45:17,617 COME BACK. >> Reporter: AND MAYBE IT WAS HOPE, OR SIMPLY DENIAL 484 00:45:17,617 --> 00:45:19,853 BUT RITA'S FAMILY WAS NOT ABOUT TO GIVE UP IN FACT THEY WERE JUST GETTING 485 00:45:19,853 --> 00:45:21,888 STARTED. THEY BEGAN MEETING AT THIS PARK NOT FAR FROM RITA'S HOUSE, 486 00:45:21,888 --> 00:45:29,262 HOLDING VIGILS, STRATEGIZING ABOUT SEARCHES, DISTRIBUTING FLIERS 487 00:45:29,262 --> 00:45:31,364 AND THAT'S WHEN DIANNE NOTICED SOMETHING THAT GAVE HER A LITTLE COMFORT. 488 00:45:31,364 --> 00:45:41,207 >> THERE WAS THIS TREE IT WAS SMALL AND IT WAS IN MARCH, YOU KNOW? 489 00:45:41,207 --> 00:45:52,552 AND SO THINGS -- AREN'T QUITE BLOOMING IT WAS KIND OF BARE, AND IT 490 00:45:52,552 --> 00:45:54,087 LOOKED LONELY. SO, WE STARTED DECORATING THIS TREE FOR RITA. 491 00:45:54,087 --> 00:45:55,922 THEN, WE JUST KIND OF MADE IT OUR TREE >> Reporter: BUT THOUGH THE 492 00:45:55,922 --> 00:45:58,525 SEARCHING CONTINUED, THE HARSH REALITY HOVERED LIKE A CLOUD IT WAS SURELY A BODY THEY WERE 493 00:45:58,525 --> 00:46:00,427 LOOKING FOR. >> THERE WAS A PART OF ME THAT WANTED TO FIND HER MORE THAN 494 00:46:00,427 --> 00:46:11,037 ANYTHING AND THEN, IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I'M LIKE, BUT CAN YOU DEAL 495 00:46:11,037 --> 00:46:13,640 WITH IT IF YOU FIND HER, DIANNE? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? >> Reporter: WHY WAS IT SO 496 00:46:13,640 --> 00:46:18,378 IMPORTANT FOR -- TO YOU TO FIND HER, FIND HER REMAINS? >> 'CAUSE SHE'S OUR SISTER 497 00:46:18,378 --> 00:46:21,881 AND WE WANT HER HOME >> WHENEVER A LOVED ONE PASSES AWAY, LAY 'EM TO REST, YOU 498 00:46:21,881 --> 00:46:35,328 CREMATE THEM, YOU BURY THEM. WE DIDN'T GET THAT >> Reporter: IMAGINE THE TASK, 499 00:46:35,328 --> 00:46:38,398 FIND HER FIND HER BODY. SOMEWHERE AROUND LONGMONT, 500 00:46:38,398 --> 00:46:52,645 COLORADO THE TROUBLE WAS SHE COULD BE ANYWHERE 501 00:46:52,645 --> 00:47:01,621 5 MILES AWAY, 50 MILES AWAY. COULD BE THAT WAY OR THAT WAY OR IN THE MOUNTAINS BEHIND ME 502 00:47:01,621 --> 00:47:03,189 BACK THAT WAY. THE TASK WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE 503 00:47:03,189 --> 00:47:14,801 BUT OF COURSE, THEY HAD TO TRY AND THEY CERTAINLY DID BUT NOT JUST FOR RITA. 504 00:47:14,801 --> 00:47:20,674 DETECTIVES CLARK AND JONES KNEW THE KEY TO FINDING RITA AND SOLVING KK'S CASE WAS FINDING 505 00:47:20,674 --> 00:47:22,809 JUAN FIGUEROA. BY NOW, THEY HAD AN ARREST WARRANT FOR HIM, FOR ASSAULTING 506 00:47:22,809 --> 00:47:30,083 KK A VIRTUALLY COLORADO-WIDE SEARCH WAS ON FOR HIM, AND THAT TRUCK 507 00:47:30,083 --> 00:47:37,057 OF HIS >> WE STARTED BACKTRACKING THE SAME THING WE HAD DONE BEFORE. 508 00:47:37,057 --> 00:47:38,558 WE WENT TO HIS SISTERS' HOUSE, THE TWO SISTERS THAT LIVE IN LONGMONT 509 00:47:38,558 --> 00:47:40,193 WE WENT TO HIS MOM'S HOUSE, AND I SPOKE TO HIS MOM AND SHE HAD NO IDEA WHERE -- 510 00:47:40,193 --> 00:47:45,965 WHERE HE WAS >> Reporter: THEY ALSO CONTACTED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AROUND 511 00:47:45,965 --> 00:47:57,243 THE COUNTRY AND TOLD THEM TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A WHITE PICKUP TRUCK 512 00:47:57,243 --> 00:47:58,945 AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW, WITHIN A FEW DAYS THEY GOT A CALL JUAN'S TRUCK HAD BEEN SPOTTED 513 00:47:58,945 --> 00:48:00,380 NOT IN COLORADO, BUT 1000 MILES AWAY >> WHEN WE LEARNED THAT, IT WAS 514 00:48:00,380 --> 00:48:23,236 LIKE, "DID HE GET AWAY IS THIS IT >> Reporter: IT WAS INFURIATING. 515 00:48:23,236 --> 00:48:33,546 THE MAN SUSPECTED OF RAPING ONE WOMAN AND POSSIBLY MURDERING A SECOND WAS LIKE A GHOST. 516 00:48:33,546 --> 00:48:34,848 AND RITA WAS STILL MISSING AND KK, KAYLENE, WAS LIVING IN FEAR 517 00:48:34,848 --> 00:48:51,698 WHERE WAS JUAN FIGUEROA? >> IT WAS A LOT OF ANXIETY I WOULDN'T GO GROCERY SHOPPING 518 00:48:51,698 --> 00:48:53,933 I WOULDN'T GO TO THE STORE FOR ANYTHING >> Reporter: ALWAYS LOOKING 519 00:48:53,933 --> 00:49:04,878 AROUND YOU TO SEE IF HE'S THERE. >> YEAH. I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS 520 00:49:04,878 --> 00:49:08,548 >> Reporter: IF HE'S DONE IT TWICE, HE COULD DO IT AGAIN. >> RIGHT 521 00:49:08,548 --> 00:49:18,591 AT ANY MOMENT. AND SO, TRYING TO TRACK HIM DOWN BECAME A PRIORITY. 522 00:49:18,591 --> 00:49:20,827 >> Reporter: AND THEN, INVESTIGATORS GOT WORD, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 523 00:49:20,827 --> 00:49:22,429 HAD A VIDEO THEY MIGHT WANT TO SEE. A WHITE VEHICLE WITH PLATES 524 00:49:22,429 --> 00:49:24,764 MATCHING FIGUEROA'S TRUCK, AND SURELY THAT WAS HIM INSIDE IT, HAD JUST CROSSED INTO MEXICO 525 00:49:24,764 --> 00:49:29,135 1000 MILES FROM LONGMONT >> WHEN WE LEARNED THAT HE HAD GONE INTO MEXICO, IT WAS REALLY 526 00:49:29,135 --> 00:49:34,841 DEFLATING TO KINDA FEEL LIKE, "DID HE GET AWAY IS THIS IT 527 00:49:34,841 --> 00:49:37,444 IS THIS WHERE THE STORY ENDS?" >> Reporter: MAYBE NOT QUITE DETECTIVES DISCOVERED HE'D 528 00:49:37,444 --> 00:49:40,213 GOTTEN HIMSELF A NEW PHONE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THE NUMBER 529 00:49:40,213 --> 00:49:53,927 THEY TRACED IT TO THE TOWN OF PIEDRAS NEGRAS, JUST ACROSS THE TEXAS BORDER 530 00:49:53,927 --> 00:49:56,162 >> SO, WE'RE KINDA WATCHING THAT AS WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY HE'S DOING, WHERE 531 00:49:56,162 --> 00:50:02,135 HE'S GOING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND FOR THE MOST PART, THAT PHONE WAS SUPER STATIONARY 532 00:50:02,135 --> 00:50:03,870 >> Reporter: SOMEWHERE HERE IN PIEDRAS NEGRAS, FIGUEROA WAS LAYING LOW, APPARENTLY BEING 533 00:50:03,870 --> 00:50:05,305 CAREFUL. AND IF HE GOT A WHIFF POLICE WERE GETTING CLOSE, SURELY, HE'D 534 00:50:05,305 --> 00:50:11,311 FLEE AGAIN SO, HOW TO CATCH HIM SOMEHOW, THEY HAD 535 00:50:11,311 --> 00:50:13,513 WHEREVER HE WAS HIDING AND THEY HAD AN IDEA >> WHILE HE WAS IN MEXICO, JUAN 536 00:50:13,513 --> 00:50:18,785 WAS ACTUALLY TALKING WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE AND WAS ASKING THEM FOR MONEY 537 00:50:18,785 --> 00:50:24,090 >> Reporter: WELL, IF HE'S SHORT OF MONEY, THAT MIGHT BE A HOOK >> WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DID. 538 00:50:24,090 --> 00:50:26,593 >> HE WANTED MONEY BY WIRE TRANSFER SO THAT WAS THE FIRST THING. 539 00:50:26,593 --> 00:50:30,296 WE KNEW IF HE'S GETTING MONEY THAT WAY, THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT PRETTY DARN CLOSE WHERE HE'S AT. 540 00:50:30,296 --> 00:50:32,565 >> Reporter: A FEMALE FRIEND OF JUAN'S, ONCE RELUCTANT, AGREED TO COOPERATE 541 00:50:32,565 --> 00:50:49,282 CALL IT AN ATTEMPTED STING FIRST THIS, FROM THE FRIEND, FRIDAY, MARCH 23rd, 2018, 542 00:50:49,282 --> 00:50:51,518 11:35 P.M., "I GOT SOME MONEY. HOURS LATER, JUAN, SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 2018, 10:45 A.M., "HOW 543 00:50:51,518 --> 00:50:53,420 MUCH?" THE NEXT DAY, JUAN AGAIN, SUNDAY, MARCH 25th, 2018, 544 00:50:53,420 --> 00:50:55,555 2:27 P.M., "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT I GET THE MONEY. 545 00:50:55,555 --> 00:51:03,129 "YEAH, IN MEXICO ABOUT TO SELL MY TRUCK." FIGUEROA TOLD HIS FRIEND TO WIRE 546 00:51:03,129 --> 00:51:05,632 THE MONEY TO PIEDRAS NEGRAS, SO THE COPS GAVE HER THE MONEY TO USE, AND SHE SENT IT, AND 547 00:51:05,632 --> 00:51:11,971 FIGUEROA PICKED IT UP, WHICH GAVE THE DETECTIVES A BETTER IDEA, AT LEAST, OF WHERE HE WAS. 548 00:51:11,971 --> 00:51:17,410 BUT GETTING AN EXACT ADDRESS, ARRESTING HIM IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, EXTRADITING HIM BACK? 549 00:51:17,410 --> 00:51:24,084 NOT SO EASY. AND THEN, TOTALLY UNEXPECTED, THEY GOT LUCKY 550 00:51:24,084 --> 00:51:37,964 >> WE END UP GETTING A CALL FROM A FORMER EMPLOYER OF JUAN'S. >> Reporter: WHO TOLD THEM HE'D 551 00:51:37,964 --> 00:51:39,532 FIRED FIGUEROA FOR STEALING. SO NOW, HE WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP CATCH HIM. 552 00:51:39,532 --> 00:51:41,001 AND HE HAD AN IDEA OF HIS OWN. >> HE TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD A JOB FOR HIM. 553 00:51:41,001 --> 00:51:44,671 THE JOB WASN'T REAL. IT WAS MADE UP AND HE TOLD JUAN THAT HE WAS 554 00:51:44,671 --> 00:51:54,681 GONNA PAY HIM SOME EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. >> Reporter: THE CATCH WAS THAT 555 00:51:54,681 --> 00:51:59,419 THIS PRIMO JOB WAS IN COLORADO IT'S -- IT'S LIKE YOU'VE GOT VOLUNTARY DEPUTIES WORKING FOR 556 00:51:59,419 --> 00:52:02,589 YOU. >> YEAH. IT WAS DEFINITELY A COMMUNITY 557 00:52:02,589 --> 00:52:04,190 EFFORT >> Reporter: AND FIGUEROA, APPARENTLY DESPERATE FOR THE 558 00:52:04,190 --> 00:52:11,664 MONEY, TOOK THE BAIT REMEMBER, DETECTIVES HAD BEEN MONITORING HIS PHONE, AND ONE 559 00:52:11,664 --> 00:52:22,142 DAY WITHOUT WARNING, IT STARTED TO MOVE. >> ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT JUMPS 560 00:52:22,142 --> 00:52:24,778 OVER THE BORDER. >> Reporter: HE WAS DRIVING BACK 561 00:52:24,778 --> 00:52:26,513 THE BORDER CROSSING WAS IN A LITTLE PLACE CALLED EAGLE PASS, TEXAS, WHERE A CUSTOMS AND 562 00:52:26,513 --> 00:52:35,889 BORDER PROTECTION OFFICER, JUST FOLLOWING PROCEDURE, ASKED HIM WHAT HE HAD BEEN DOING IN 563 00:52:35,889 --> 00:52:38,124 MEXICO >> HE EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS AT A FUNERAL FOR HIS GRANDMOTHER. 564 00:52:38,124 --> 00:52:39,793 AND THE AGENT TOLD HIM, "OH, I'M REALLY SORRY TO HEAR THAT. WHEN DID SHE PASS AWAY?" 565 00:52:39,793 --> 00:52:41,127 AND HE COULDN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION >> Reporter: OH. 566 00:52:41,127 --> 00:52:54,974 >> AND THEN HE ASKED, "WELL, WHERE WAS SHE BURIED?" AND HE COULDN'T ANSWER THAT 567 00:52:54,974 --> 00:53:01,181 QUESTION EITHER. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE STARTED TO SWEAT 568 00:53:01,181 --> 00:53:12,792 THAT KIND OF CLUED THEM IN PRETTY QUICKLY THAT SOMETHING WAS AMISS. 569 00:53:12,792 --> 00:53:15,362 >> Reporter: THE OFFICER LOOKED UP FIGUEROA'S NAME AND THAT'S WHEN HE SAW IT. 570 00:53:15,362 --> 00:53:19,199 AN ARREST WARRANT FOR KAYLENE'S CASE, WANTED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT BACK IN COLORADO 571 00:53:19,199 --> 00:53:20,734 A SERGEANT FROM THE LOCAL SHERIFF'S OFFICE WENT TO MEET HIM. 572 00:53:20,734 --> 00:53:22,836 BUT WHEN HE TOLD FIGUEROA WHAT THE WARRANT WAS FOR, JUAN DIDN'T SEEM TOO WORRIED 573 00:53:22,836 --> 00:53:25,472 >> THAT'S THE ONLY WARRANT THAT'S IT? >> YES 574 00:53:25,472 --> 00:53:28,641 >> FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT? >> YEAH. >> SWEET 575 00:53:28,641 --> 00:53:32,445 >> HE WAS CUFFED AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. >> I WAS WORRIED ABOUT HAVING TO 576 00:53:32,445 --> 00:53:34,514 GET $200 TO GET BACK TO COLORADO >> Reporter: CHRIS MERKLE, THE 577 00:53:34,514 --> 00:53:36,483 VERY DETECTIVE WHO'D MET JUAN FIGUEROA AS A YOUNG POLICE CADET, WENT TO TEXAS TO PICK HIM 578 00:53:36,483 --> 00:53:37,817 UP, AND DROVE ALL THE WAY BACK TO COLORADO, 19 HOURS ON THE ROAD 579 00:53:37,817 --> 00:53:39,786 DURING WHICH, JUAN TALKED ALMOST NON-STOP, HIS CHATTER PICKED UP BY THE DETECTIVES' RECORDER. 580 00:53:39,786 --> 00:53:49,229 >> DEFINITELY COULD USE A STRETCH AND A SMOKE BREAK. WHATEVER 581 00:53:49,229 --> 00:53:55,101 THIS -- BELT IS JAMMING INTO MY RIBS SUCKS. 582 00:53:55,101 --> 00:53:57,103 >> KNOWING THAT THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU, ON THE WARRANT WITH KAYLENE, YOU KNOW, RAPED AND 583 00:53:57,103 --> 00:53:59,272 ALMOST KILLED HER, AND THEN KNOWING THAT WE ARE PRETTY MUCH SURE THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN 584 00:53:59,272 --> 00:54:04,044 RITA'S DISAPPEARANCE AND PROBABLY DID SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR, MADE FOR A REALLY LONG 585 00:54:04,044 --> 00:54:13,520 RIDE >> Reporter: THEY TOWED FIGUEROA'S TRUCK BACK TO 586 00:54:13,520 --> 00:54:28,301 COLORADO, TOO. >> WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS POTENTIAL EVIDENCE IN THAT 587 00:54:28,301 --> 00:54:34,641 TRUCK. AND SO THAT WAS A BIG THING. WE REALLY WANTED THAT TRUCK. 588 00:54:34,641 --> 00:54:42,615 >> Reporter: KAYLENE HEARD ABOUT THE ARREST, OF COURSE. >> Reporter: WHAT WERE YOUR 589 00:54:42,615 --> 00:54:45,452 THOUGHTS RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT? >> IT WAS MIXED. IT WAS HAPPINESS, BUT ALSO LIKE, 590 00:54:45,452 --> 00:54:50,990 "OKAY. HERE WE GO." >> Reporter: RELIEF, YES, AND 591 00:54:50,990 --> 00:54:53,993 >> Reporter: RELIEF, YES, AND DREAD ABOUT HAVING TO FACE THAT MAN IN A COURTROOM 592 00:55:14,080 --> 00:55:23,156 KAYLENE WAS ASSAULTED, JUAN FIGUEROA WAS SITTING IN A BOULDER COUNTY JAIL ON RAPE AND 593 00:55:23,156 --> 00:55:24,557 ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES BUT DETECTIVES WERE FAR FROM DONE 594 00:55:24,557 --> 00:55:38,304 THEY WERE STILL TRYING TO BUILD THE CASE AGAINST HIM FOR RITA'S DISAPPEARANCE. 595 00:55:38,304 --> 00:55:41,474 ONE THING WAS PAINFULLY CLEAR -- WHAT STARTED OUT AS A MISSING PERSON'S CASE WAS NOW A HOMICIDE 596 00:55:41,474 --> 00:55:43,143 INVESTIGATION. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ANYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE IF 597 00:55:43,143 --> 00:55:44,878 YOUR DAUGHTER IS MISSING, PRESUMED DEAD, THE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING IT AS A MURDER, 598 00:55:44,878 --> 00:55:53,620 AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER >> YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S 599 00:55:53,620 --> 00:55:58,358 GONNA FEEL LIKE TILL IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS. AND I HAD PEOPLE WHO I KNOW WHO 600 00:55:58,358 --> 00:56:07,334 SAID, "I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE," YOU KNOW? "I LOST MY CHILD." 601 00:56:07,334 --> 00:56:13,139 AND I'M LIKE, "YOU GOT TO BURY YOUR CHILD I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY CHILD IS." 602 00:56:13,139 --> 00:56:16,843 >> Reporter: IN DESPERATION, RITA'S EX-BOYFRIEND DAVID EVEN REACHED OUT TO US BACK IN 603 00:56:16,843 --> 00:56:27,854 2018 TO SPOTLIGHT RITA'S CASE FOR "DATELINE'S" "MISSING IN AMERICA" SERIES. 604 00:56:27,854 --> 00:56:35,695 >> FIND INFORMATION TO LEAD TO AN ARREST, TO HER BODY, ANYTHING THAT WOULD HELP BRING JUSTICE OR 605 00:56:35,695 --> 00:56:39,666 BRING HER HOME THAT WAS MY MISSION EVERY DAY. >> Reporter: BUT OVER TIME, THE 606 00:56:39,666 --> 00:56:41,434 HOPE OF FINDING RITA, OR AT LEAST FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER, WAS SLOWLY SLIPPING 607 00:56:41,434 --> 00:56:43,236 AWAY >> JUST SEARCHING, ENDLESS SEARCHING TO COME TO NO 608 00:56:43,236 --> 00:56:51,144 FRUITION IT WAS -- IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME 609 00:56:51,144 --> 00:56:53,847 >> Reporter: THERE WAS ONE THING THOUGH INVESTIGATORS HAD BEEN BOTHERED 610 00:56:53,847 --> 00:56:57,984 BY IT EVER SINCE THEY SEIZED FIGUEROA'S PICKUP TRUCK. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TOLD US 611 00:56:57,984 --> 00:57:02,222 THAT THAT TRUCK WAS A DUMP ALL THE TIME >> Reporter: BUT NOW 612 00:57:02,222 --> 00:57:04,391 MESSY, YES BUT CLEAR TO INVESTIGATORS IT HAD BEEN SCRUBBED DOWN MANY 613 00:57:04,391 --> 00:57:08,094 TIMES OVER >> JUAN HAD DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO CLEAN THAT TRUCK 614 00:57:08,094 --> 00:57:12,232 UP >> Reporter: STILL, IF HE CLEANED IT, MAYBE HE MISSED 615 00:57:12,232 --> 00:57:15,935 SOMETHING. SO THEY TORE IT APART, SWABBED EVERY SURFACE. 616 00:57:15,935 --> 00:57:24,310 AND THAT'S WHEN THEY NOTICED, VERY FAINT, A MARK ON THE PASSENGER SEAT 617 00:57:24,310 --> 00:57:30,183 >> A STAINED AREA WHERE IT ALMOST LOOKED LIKE SOMEBODY HAD TRIED TO CLEAN THAT. 618 00:57:30,183 --> 00:57:37,557 >> Reporter: THEY SWABBED IT ANYWAY, SENT IT OFF TO THE DNA LAB. 619 00:57:37,557 --> 00:57:39,693 BUT -- >> IT CAME BACK AS A MIXTURE OF NUMEROUS PEOPLE. 620 00:57:39,693 --> 00:57:42,328 SO BASICALLY, THERE WERE SEVERAL DIFFERENT DNA PROFILES THERE AND WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE 621 00:57:42,328 --> 00:57:54,974 BELONGED TO WHO, ESSENTIALLY >> Reporter: THAT HAD TO BE FRUSTRATING. 622 00:57:54,974 --> 00:57:56,276 >> OH, IT WAS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING. >> Reporter: A DEAD END. 623 00:57:56,276 --> 00:58:00,280 THEY JUST COULDN'T TIE JUAN FIGUEROA TO RITA'S DISAPPEARANCE. 624 00:58:00,280 --> 00:58:02,549 BUT THEN THE LAB SENT BACK ANOTHER SET OF TEST RESULTS FROM KAYLENE'S CASE 625 00:58:02,549 --> 00:58:05,018 THEY COMPARED A SAMPLE OF JUAN'S DNA TO HER RAPE KIT, AND IT WAS A PERFECT MATCH. 626 00:58:05,018 --> 00:58:12,926 >> THEY WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT HIS DNA WAS ON KAYLENE. >> Reporter: THAT TIED THE KNOT. 627 00:58:12,926 --> 00:58:25,605 >> THAT DID. >> Reporter: THEY SET A TRIAL DATE, 2019 628 00:58:25,605 --> 00:58:27,207 AND KAYLENE WOULD BE THE STAR WITNESS. BUT THE THOUGHT OF HAVING TO 629 00:58:27,207 --> 00:58:32,045 TESTIFY ABOUT THE WORST DAY OF HER LIFE, IN FRONT OF THE MAN ON TRIAL FOR RAPING HER AND THE 630 00:58:32,045 --> 00:58:34,447 PEOPLE WHO SAID SHE LIED ABOUT IT -- SHE WASN'T SURE SHE COULD DO IT. 631 00:58:34,447 --> 00:58:52,532 >> I WAS LIKE, "I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE THINKING, LIKE, I'M -- I'M TRASH AND A SKANK OR 632 00:58:52,532 --> 00:58:54,300 SOMETHING. AND I JUST WANT IT TO GO AWAY. >> Reporter: AND EVEN THOUGH THE 633 00:58:54,300 --> 00:58:59,873 TRIAL WAS STILL MONTHS AWAY -- >> I WAS GETTING MESSAGES AFTER MESSAGES, DAILY. 634 00:58:59,873 --> 00:59:01,541 >> Reporter: FACEBOOK MESSAGES, CALLS, AND TEXTS FROM NUMBERS SHE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE 635 00:59:01,541 --> 00:59:11,017 WHAT DID THEY SAY, THESE MESSAGES >> THAT THEY WERE GONNA, LIKE, 636 00:59:11,017 --> 00:59:14,754 HURT MY FAMILY AND STUFF AND MAKE SURE THEY KNOW, LIKE, THAT I'M A LIAR AND I'M A SLUT AND 637 00:59:14,754 --> 00:59:27,867 JUST VERY HATEFUL, HATEFUL THINGS >> Reporter: IT GOT SO BAD, SAID 638 00:59:27,867 --> 00:59:31,037 KAYLENE, THAT SHE FLED LONGMONT AND SECRETLY MOVED TO THE TOWN OF GREELEY, 35 MILES AWAY, TO 639 00:59:31,037 --> 00:59:33,173 LAY LOW AND TRY, AT LEAST, TO LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND HER. A TRIAL MONTHS AWAY. 640 00:59:33,173 --> 00:59:41,614 IT WAS QUICK FOR THE LAW BUT TORTURE FOR KAYLENE. AND DIANNE, STILL SEARCHING FOR 641 00:59:41,614 --> 00:59:43,583 RITA WHEN THEY WENT AHEAD WITH KK'S CASE, SORT OF FULL SPEED AHEAD, 642 00:59:43,583 --> 00:59:47,420 WERE YOU FEELIN' LIKE THEY WERE ABANDONING RITA AT ALL >> NO. 643 00:59:47,420 --> 00:59:51,124 NO WE KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO HELP RITA'S CASE 644 00:59:51,124 --> 00:59:57,063 SHE'S ONLY GONNA MAKE IT STRONGER FOR US. >> Reporter: CHRISTMAS CAME, THE 645 00:59:57,063 --> 01:00:06,439 FIRST CHRISTMAS WITHOUT RITA FOR BOYS WITHOUT THEIR MOTHER, THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING TO 646 01:00:06,439 --> 01:00:09,609 CELEBRATE. SO DETECTIVE CODY CLARK DECIDED TO HELP. 647 01:00:09,609 --> 01:00:11,945 >> THINKING ABOUT HER KIDS NOT HAVING A MOM AROUND FOR CHRISTMAS HIT A NERVE WITH ME. 648 01:00:11,945 --> 01:00:18,151 I BROUGHT HER BOYS CHRISTMAS PRESENTS I HAD REALLY COME TO CARE ABOUT 649 01:00:18,151 --> 01:00:22,122 THEM AS A FAMILY >> Reporter: WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HER, IS THERE ANYTHING IN 650 01:00:22,122 --> 01:00:28,294 PARTICULAR THAT YOU MISS >> HER >> JUST HER. 651 01:00:28,294 --> 01:00:30,697 >> Reporter: ON RITA'S BIRTHDAY, THEY WENT TO THE LITTLE PARK TO DECORATE THE TREE THAT SEEMED TO 652 01:00:30,697 --> 01:00:40,206 STAND FOR HER. >> DON'T HAVE HER HERE TO NURTURE AND TO HOLD. 653 01:00:40,206 --> 01:00:41,908 BUT I'LL JUST, LIKE, TOUCH THE LEAVES, YOU KNOW, THE BRANCHES, AND JUST TALK TO RITA. 654 01:00:41,908 --> 01:00:43,910 >> Reporter: SHE'S THERE >> I JUST FEEL SHE'S THERE YEAH 655 01:00:43,910 --> 01:00:52,886 >> Reporter: AND THROUGH ALL THE GRIEF, IT WAS DIANNE WHO KEPT THEM ALL GOING 656 01:00:52,886 --> 01:01:11,671 >> SHE'S, LIKE, THE LOG OF THE TREE, AND WE'RE ALL THE BRANCHES 657 01:01:11,671 --> 01:01:19,346 >> MY GRANDMA ENCOURAGED ALL OF US TO JUST NEVER GIVE UP, PRAY AS HARD AS YOU CAN 658 01:01:19,346 --> 01:01:24,084 SHE WILL BE FOUND. NO MATTER WHAT, SHE WILL BE FOUND. 659 01:01:24,084 --> 01:01:25,885 >> Reporter: BUT WHEN, AND HOW IT WOULD TAKE A MIRACLE TO FIND HER SOMEWHERE OUT HERE 660 01:01:25,885 --> 01:01:27,554 OR MAYBE JUAN FIGUEROA WOULD TALK THOUGH IT SEEMED UNLIKELY. 661 01:01:27,554 --> 01:01:29,422 HE HAD LAWYERED UP NO, FIGUEROA WASN'T TALKING TO THE COPS 662 01:01:29,422 --> 01:01:33,526 BUT HE WAS TALKING, MAYBE TOO MUCH >> IT'S PROBABLY AT LEAST PRETTY 663 01:01:33,526 --> 01:01:34,561 MUCH >> IT'S PROBABLY AT LEAST PRETTY CLOSE TO FOUR FEET BURIED. 664 01:01:56,116 --> 01:02:03,056 FOR KAYLENE'S SEX ASSUALT CASE, HE TALKED. TALKED NON-STOP. 665 01:02:03,056 --> 01:02:08,595 JUST NOT TO POLICE JUAN DID HIS TALKING TO HIS CELL MATES. 666 01:02:08,595 --> 01:02:21,541 >> I KNEW THAT HE WAS TELLING THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON SO IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF 667 01:02:21,541 --> 01:02:27,113 HEARING IT FROM HIS OWN MOUTH. AND WE EVENTUALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET THAT -- THAT BUG IN 668 01:02:27,113 --> 01:02:32,552 THERE. >> Reporter: MEANING, A HIDDEN WIRE TO RECORD WHATEVER FIGUEROA 669 01:02:32,552 --> 01:02:34,654 WAS BLABBING ABOUT THE HOPE WAS HE'D SAY SOMETHING ANYTHING ABOUT RITA. 670 01:02:34,654 --> 01:02:39,259 AND SURE ENOUGH, IT TOOK A WHILE, BUT, HERE WAS, WELL, IT WAS SOMETHING ANYWAY 671 01:02:39,259 --> 01:02:40,860 >> I WAS THERE AND I SAW IT. >> WERE YOU THERE WHEN IT WENT DOWN 672 01:02:40,860 --> 01:02:42,562 >> YEAH. >> HE WAS TRYING TO SAY THAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAD COMMITTED THE 673 01:02:42,562 --> 01:02:56,710 MURDER, BUT THAT HE WAS -- >> Reporter: OH, OKAY. >> -- THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED 674 01:02:56,710 --> 01:02:58,445 WAS -- WAS - >> Reporter: GOTCHA. >> -- WHAT HE WAS ALLUDING TO. 675 01:02:58,445 --> 01:03:00,513 BUT THAT HE HAD BEEN THE ONE WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BURYING HER BODY 676 01:03:00,513 --> 01:03:16,262 THIS CELLMATE WAS TRYING TO KINDA PRY A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION OUT OF HIM ON HIS 677 01:03:16,262 --> 01:03:18,865 OWN AND ASKED HIM WHERE IT WAS AT >> THE CORPSE? 678 01:03:18,865 --> 01:03:23,636 SO IT'S JUST RIGHT OUT THERE IN THE OPEN >> IT'S BURIED 679 01:03:23,636 --> 01:03:27,407 IT'S PROBABLY AT LEAST PRETTY CLOSE TO FOUR FEET BURIED. AND THEY WON'T FIND IT 680 01:03:27,407 --> 01:03:29,542 THEY REALLY WON'T FIND IT UNLESS, THEY -- PUT, LIKE, SOME KIND OF -- PROBE INTO MY BRAIN 681 01:03:29,542 --> 01:03:31,344 >> THAT STATEMENT -- THAT KINDA SENT SHIVERS DOWN MY SPINE JUST BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT CLEARLY 682 01:03:31,344 --> 01:03:34,714 SHOWED THAT HE WAS INVOLVED. >> Reporter: STILL, THEY WANTED MORE SAID PROSECUTOR 683 01:03:34,714 --> 01:03:40,720 MICHELLE SUDANO. >> WE HADN'T LOCATED HER BODY. WE DIDN'T HAVE A CRIME SCENE OR 684 01:03:40,720 --> 01:03:42,288 ANYTHING TO GO ON. AND SO THERE WAS SO MUCH WORK THAT HAD TO GO INTO BUILDING 685 01:03:42,288 --> 01:03:45,291 THAT CASE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY WE WERE PROVING THAT JUAN FIGUEROA WAS HER MURDERER, BUT WE ALSO 686 01:03:45,291 --> 01:03:49,629 HAD TO PROVE THAT SHE HAD IN FACT BEEN KILLED AND TO PROVE MURDER, THEY HAD TO 687 01:03:49,629 --> 01:03:56,403 BUY TIME AND THE WAY TO DO IT, THEY HAD DECIDED, WAS TO SECURE A 688 01:03:56,403 --> 01:03:59,572 CONVICTION IN KAYLENE'S ASSAULT CASE THAT WAS THE JOB OF SUDANO'S 689 01:03:59,572 --> 01:04:08,548 CO-COUNSEL KATHARINA BOOTH >> IT WAS VERY HIGH PRESSURE WE KNEW IT WAS EXTREMELY 690 01:04:08,548 --> 01:04:18,058 ESSENTIAL, OBVIOUSLY, TO KEEP HIM IN CUSTODY, TO BE ABLE TO GET A CONVICTION 691 01:04:18,058 --> 01:04:20,527 >> Reporter: IN MARCH 2019, OVER A YEAR SINCE THE ATTACK ON KAYLENE, PROSECUTOR BOOTH GOT 692 01:04:20,527 --> 01:04:21,861 HER SHOT WHEN THE TRIAL OPENED AT THE BOULDER COUNTY COURTHOUSE 693 01:04:21,861 --> 01:04:32,339 WHAT KIND OF PERSON WERE YOU UP AGAINST? >> SOMEONE WHO -- CRAVES THE 694 01:04:32,339 --> 01:04:39,713 POWER AND CONTROL OF ABUSING OTHERS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN >> Reporter: PROSECUTOR BOOTH 695 01:04:39,713 --> 01:04:47,153 LAID IT ALL OUT FOR THE JURY THERE WAS THE RAPE KIT, OF COURSE, WITH THE CRUCIAL DNA 696 01:04:47,153 --> 01:04:48,688 LINK TO JUAN FIGUEROA. BUT ALSO, EVIDENCE OF KK'S NEAR FATAL INJURIES 697 01:04:48,688 --> 01:04:57,097 WHICH WERE WELL DOCUMENTED AND SHOWN TO THE JURY. >> THIS WAS CLEARLY A RAPE AND 698 01:04:57,097 --> 01:04:58,631 ATTEMPTED MURDER >> Reporter: I CAN SEE SOME DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYING, "WELL, 699 01:04:58,631 --> 01:05:00,834 YOU CAN SAY THAT IF YOU WANT, BUT LOTS OF PEOPLE LIKE ROUGH SEX AND LIKE TO BE CHOKED WHEN 700 01:05:00,834 --> 01:05:03,470 THEY'RE HAVING SEX." SO HOW CAN YOU PROVE IT WAS ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT 701 01:05:03,470 --> 01:05:07,707 >> YOU'RE RIGHT. AND -- THOSE WERE SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT WERE MADE 702 01:05:07,707 --> 01:05:13,046 >> BUT THERE WERE A LOT -- A LOT OF OTHER EVIDENCE THAT SHOWED HIS GUILT. 703 01:05:13,046 --> 01:05:24,624 >> Reporter: FOR EXAMPLE, SAID PROSECUTOR BOOTH, VIDEO SHOT INSIDE THE PARTY HOUSE WHERE 704 01:05:24,624 --> 01:05:28,528 KAYLENE WENT AFTER THE BARS. REMEMBER WHEN KAYLENE STEPPED OUTSIDE TO GET SOME FRESH AIR AT 705 01:05:28,528 --> 01:05:31,064 THE AFTER-PARTY, SHE SAID SHE'D LEFT HER PHONE CHARGING INSIDE THE HOUSE. 706 01:05:31,064 --> 01:05:34,668 WELL, HERE IT IS, ON THE HOME SECURITY SYSTEM, PLUGGED INTO THE WALL 707 01:05:34,668 --> 01:05:43,076 AND THEN, MOMENTS LATER, JUAN FIGUEROA COMES INTO FRAME SITS DOWN WITH HIS ARM ODDLY 708 01:05:43,076 --> 01:05:53,153 TUCKED AWAY, STANDS UP, AND TOSSES THE PHONE ONTO THE COUCH. >> THAT PART STANDS OUT TO ME, 709 01:05:53,153 --> 01:06:04,264 TO JUST REALLY REFLECT HOW PREMEDITATED THIS WAS, OF MAKING SURE SHE DIDN'T HAVE A CHARGED 710 01:06:04,264 --> 01:06:09,703 PHONE. >> Reporter: BUT THE PROSECUTION'S KEY WITNESS, OF 711 01:06:09,703 --> 01:06:11,471 COURSE, WAS KAYLENE HERSELF, WHO LIVED TO TELL THE STORY AND NOW STEELED HERSELF TO FACE 712 01:06:11,471 --> 01:06:12,739 JUAN FIGUEROA. >> IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL TRIAL. 713 01:06:12,739 --> 01:06:16,943 AND HE WAS DISGUSTING. HE LAUGHED HE LAUGHED 714 01:06:16,943 --> 01:06:19,045 >> Reporter: IN THE TRIAL? >> IT WAS A JOKE TO HIM, THE WHOLE TRIAL. 715 01:06:19,045 --> 01:06:21,881 SO HE JUST LAUGHED >> Reporter: WHEN KAYLENE TOOK THE STAND THE DEFENSE CHALLENGED 716 01:06:21,881 --> 01:06:37,097 EVERY BIT OF HER STORY AND FOCUSED ON THIS VIDEO. KAYLENE GOING UP THE STAIRS TO 717 01:06:37,097 --> 01:06:43,403 WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE A BEDROOM. WILLINGLY, SAID THE DEFENSE. NONSENSE, SAID THE PROSECUTOR. 718 01:06:43,403 --> 01:06:45,972 >> YES, SHE WALKED UP THOSE STAIRS, BUT HE HAD -- CONTRIVED AN ENTIRE STORY TO GET HER 719 01:06:45,972 --> 01:06:49,242 THERE, STARTING ALL THE WAY BACK AT THE PARTY THAT THEY HAD BEEN AT, IN ORDER TO GET HER AWAY AND 720 01:06:49,242 --> 01:07:09,195 LURE HER AWAY FROM THE SAFETY OF OTHERS >> Reporter: AND THEN FOR MORE 721 01:07:09,195 --> 01:07:12,532 THAN A YEAR, SAID KAYLENE, SHE'D BEEN THREATENED, HAD BEEN ACCUSED OF MAKING IT ALL UP, HAD 722 01:07:12,532 --> 01:07:19,739 BEEN SURROUNDED BY DOUBTS AND WHISPERS AND MALICIOUS GOSSIP. AND NOW, AFTER A 10-DAY TRIAL, 723 01:07:19,739 --> 01:07:22,375 12 STRANGERS WOULD JUDGE WOULD THEY BELIEVE HER >> I WAS JUST SCARED 'CAUSE I'M 724 01:07:22,375 --> 01:07:31,918 LIKE, THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME FOR THE FACT EVERYBODY SAID I WAS A LIAR 725 01:07:31,918 --> 01:07:40,860 >> Reporter: AND THERE SHE SAT, IN COURT, ONLY A FEW FEET AWAY FROM THE MAN WHO NEARLY TOOK HER 726 01:07:40,860 --> 01:07:44,330 LIFE AND SHE WAITED, WAITED FOR THAT JURY TO DECIDE 727 01:07:44,330 --> 01:07:47,734 UNAWARE OF WHAT WAS WAITING FOR HER OUTSIDE. >> COMING UP THIS SUNDAY ON 728 01:07:47,734 --> 01:07:58,178 "DATELINE" - >> THEY SHINED A FLASHLIGHT, AND THAT'S WHEN THEY SAW THE BODY. 729 01:07:58,178 --> 01:07:59,546 DAVE WAS SHOT TWICE. >> SHE OBVIOUSLY KNEW. I NEED A NEW IDENTITY. 730 01:07:59,546 --> 01:08:01,247 >> YOU CAN SEE THEM AT THE BAR SHE'S BUILDING THAT TRUST. >> SHE'S LAYING ON THE FLOOR 731 01:08:01,247 --> 01:08:10,423 BLOOD UNDER HER TOWEL. >> EVERY SECOND SHE'S FREE SHE'S ABLE TO KILL ANOTHER PERSON. 732 01:08:10,423 --> 01:08:12,625 >> SHE KEPT SAYING, "I'M SORRY." >> I WOULD LOVE TO BELIEVE HER BUT AFTER ALL OF THIS, I JUST 733 01:08:12,625 --> 01:08:16,730 BUT AFTER ALL OF THIS, I JUST DON'T KNOW >> THAT'S SUNDAY AT 7:00, 734 01:08:33,246 --> 01:08:40,053 THE WAIT WAS FINALLY OVER. THE JURY HAD MADE THEIR DECISION 735 01:08:40,053 --> 01:08:51,698 KAYLENE'S FAMILY AND RITA'S FAMILY TOOK THEIR SEATS INSIDE A CROWDED COURTROOM. 736 01:08:51,698 --> 01:08:54,234 KAYLENE HERSELF, NERVES AS TIGHT AS THEY'D EVER BEEN. AND THE VERDICT WAS -- 737 01:08:54,234 --> 01:08:59,072 GUILTY >> I JUST BROKE DOWN >> Reporter: 'CAUSE IT WAS 738 01:08:59,072 --> 01:09:05,412 SOMEBODY RECOGNIZING YOU'RE RIGHT? >> YEAH. 739 01:09:05,412 --> 01:09:11,317 >> Reporter: ALL ALONG >> UH-HUH. >> Reporter: AND THOSE OTHER 740 01:09:11,317 --> 01:09:14,554 PEOPLE WERE WRONG. THAT FINALLY WAS A MOMENT OF VINDICATION THAT YOU DESPERATELY 741 01:09:14,554 --> 01:09:17,123 NEEDED, HUH? >> UH-HUH. I JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO HEAR 742 01:09:17,123 --> 01:09:18,625 IT >> Reporter: RELIEVED? YES. 743 01:09:18,625 --> 01:09:20,226 BUT -- >> IT FELT LIKE A WEIGHT HAD BEEN LIFTED. 744 01:09:20,226 --> 01:09:21,895 BUT IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD, I KNEW IT WASN'T OVER. AND NOW WE HAVE TO START RITA'S, 745 01:09:21,895 --> 01:09:23,530 AND -- >> Reporter: AND YOU FELT THAT AS A RESPONSIBILITY, YOURSELF? 746 01:09:23,530 --> 01:09:25,031 >> UH-HUH. >> I FELT LIKE I HAD A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO WHAT I 747 01:09:25,031 --> 01:09:27,667 COULD AFTER THAT POINT TO HELP, AND I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, "LET'S FOCUS ON RITA NOW. 748 01:09:27,667 --> 01:09:31,838 WHERE IS RITA? >> Reporter: MAYBE NOT SO EASY BECAUSE WITHIN HOURS, KAYLENE'S 749 01:09:31,838 --> 01:09:36,343 LIFE WAS IN DANGER, AGAIN. SHE AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAD GATHERED AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT 750 01:09:36,343 --> 01:09:40,947 TO CELEBRATE >> WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES I WAS THERE, I HAD GOTTEN A VERY 751 01:09:40,947 --> 01:09:42,649 GRUESOME, LIKE, DEATH THREAT SENT TO ME FROM A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT AND JUST SAYING REALLY 752 01:09:42,649 --> 01:10:06,272 NASTY STUFF. CALLING ME, LIKE, THE B WORD AND SAYING WE'RE GONNA SET YOUR BODY 753 01:10:06,272 --> 01:10:07,807 ON FIRE WHILE YOU'RE ALIVE >> Reporter: AND THERE WAS MORE IN THAT MESSAGE. 754 01:10:07,807 --> 01:10:10,276 "I'M GONNA CHOKE THE -- OUT OF YOU. "I WILL FIND YOU, BITCH. 755 01:10:10,276 --> 01:10:16,916 YOUR GONNA DIE JUST LIKE ALL THE WHORES." >> Reporter: WHAT WAS THAT LIKE 756 01:10:16,916 --> 01:10:18,852 TO GET THAT? >> I SHUT DOWN I COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN 757 01:10:18,852 --> 01:10:23,323 >> Reporter: KAYLENE TOLD THE POLICE, BUT THEY COULDN'T TRACK DOWN THE SENDER. 758 01:10:23,323 --> 01:10:35,235 AND JAZMINE SAW HER SISTER UNRAVEL. >> I JUST REMEMBER HER SAYING, 759 01:10:35,235 --> 01:10:38,571 "THIS IS NEVER GONNA END." >> Reporter: THE VERY NEXT DAY KAYLENE LEFT 760 01:10:38,571 --> 01:10:48,481 LEFT TOWN. MOVED ALL THE WAY TO KANSAS. >> Reporter: IT'S WHAT SHE 761 01:10:48,481 --> 01:10:50,116 NEEDED TO DO IN ORDER TO KEEP HERSELF SAFE >> MEANWHILE, BACK IN LONGMONT, 762 01:10:50,116 --> 01:10:54,254 DETECTIVE CODY CLARK WAS STILL LOOKING EVERY DAY FOR RITA >> THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE 763 01:10:54,254 --> 01:10:56,056 FROM THE COMMUNITY OF, YOU KNOW, "WHY HASN'T RITA BEEN FOUND? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO FIND HER 764 01:10:56,056 --> 01:11:05,298 WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO BRING SOMEBODY TO JUSTICE? AND -- 765 01:11:05,298 --> 01:11:14,808 >> Reporter: I THINK THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT THESE, YOU KNOW, THAT ANYBODY THAT WATCHES 766 01:11:14,808 --> 01:11:21,681 TELEVISION, THESE THINGS GET SOLVED IN 45 MINUTES >> AND THIS IS GOING ON FOR 767 01:11:21,681 --> 01:11:28,088 MONTHS, AND THEN YEARS >> YEAH, IT -- YOU KNOW, IT JUST ADDED TO THE ANXIETY FROM THE 768 01:11:28,088 --> 01:11:34,160 COMMUNITY, FEELING LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS 769 01:11:34,160 --> 01:11:36,563 >> Reporter: THEY HADN'T OF COURSE BUT TIME, EVERY DAY, EVERY MONTH 770 01:11:36,563 --> 01:11:41,768 OF DAYS, SOMEHOW MADE IT FEEL WORSE. >> IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. 771 01:11:41,768 --> 01:11:44,537 I MEAN, HOW DO YOU PROVE SOMEBODY'S DEAD IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BODY? 772 01:11:44,537 --> 01:11:50,710 >> Reporter: HE WAS STUCK. RITA'S FAMILY FELT STUCK, TOO. >> IT WAS JUST STAGNANT THERE 773 01:11:50,710 --> 01:11:55,448 FOR SUCH A LONG TIME >> Reporter: SO, YOU WERE SURE IT WAS HIM, BUT THEY COULDN'T DO 774 01:11:55,448 --> 01:12:12,532 ANYTHING >> YEAH. >> Reporter: THEN, A VERY BIG 775 01:12:12,532 --> 01:12:20,407 SURPRISE REMEMBER THAT STAIN INVESTIGATORS FOUND ON THE 776 01:12:20,407 --> 01:12:29,249 PASSENGER SEAT OF FIGUEROA'S PICKUP TRUCK THEY EXTRACTED DNA BACK THEN, 777 01:12:29,249 --> 01:12:31,885 BUT THE BEST THEY COULD GET WAS A JUMBLE SEVERAL HUMANS, BUT NO WAY TO 778 01:12:31,885 --> 01:12:34,621 I.D. ANY ONE OF THEM BUT ALMOST THREE YEARS LATER, THE COLORADO BUREAU OF 779 01:12:34,621 --> 01:12:36,089 INVESTIGATION CALLED DETECTIVE CLARK AND -- >> TOLD US ABOUT SOME NEW 780 01:12:36,089 --> 01:12:41,394 TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT STAIN AND BE ABLE TO TELL US NOT JUST THAT THERE 781 01:12:41,394 --> 01:12:45,098 WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE'S DNA PATTERNS, BUT WHO THEY BELONGED TO 782 01:12:45,098 --> 01:12:53,506 >> Reporter: SO, THEY RE-TESTED THE STAIN AND SENT DETECTIVE CLARK THE RESULTS. 783 01:12:53,506 --> 01:12:55,642 >> WHEN THEY SENT BACK THOSE RESULTS SAYING THAT IT WAS RITA'S DNA IN THAT STAIN, I 784 01:12:55,642 --> 01:12:57,210 DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT I WAS ELATED 785 01:12:57,210 --> 01:12:58,845 YOU KNOW LIKE - >> Reporter: WELL, MY -- MY 786 01:12:58,845 --> 01:13:01,047 GOODNESS YEAH >> IT WAS -- IT WAS LIKE THAT 787 01:13:01,047 --> 01:13:02,582 ONE FINAL PIECE THAT PHYSICAL PIECE OF EVIDENCE. >> Reporter: SHE WAS IN THERE. 788 01:13:02,582 --> 01:13:04,651 >> SHE WAS IN HIS TRUCK. >> Reporter: IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, A GRAND JURY INDICTED 789 01:13:04,651 --> 01:13:06,586 JUAN FIGUEROA FOR THE MURDER AND KIDNAPPING OF RITA GUTIERREZ-GARCIA. 790 01:13:06,586 --> 01:13:08,321 WASN'T AN EASY CASE, MIND YOU, EVEN WITH THAT PRECIOUS BIT OF DNA. 791 01:13:08,321 --> 01:13:15,295 STILL, IT WAS THE BEST THEY WERE GOING TO GET >> SO, WE HAD CERTAINLY NOT ALL 792 01:13:15,295 --> 01:13:21,601 THE EVIDENCE THAT WE NEEDED, BUT WE WERE CONFIDENT IN THE CASE. >> Reporter: FIGUEROA, ALREADY 793 01:13:21,601 --> 01:13:29,976 SENTENCED TO 93 YEARS FOR ASSAULTING KK WAS CONFIDENT TOO. TOLD CELLMATES HE THOUGHT HE 794 01:13:29,976 --> 01:13:33,680 COULD BEAT THE MURDER CHARGE RITA'S MOTHER DIANNE, MEANWHILE, THOUGH GLAD HE WAS GOING TO FACE 795 01:13:33,680 --> 01:13:43,156 SOME KIND OF JUSTICE, HAD ABOUT GIVEN UP HOPE OF ACTUALLY FINDING RITA 796 01:13:43,156 --> 01:13:50,296 >> IT WAS HURTING ME IT WAS FRUSTRATING ME. IT WAS DEPRESSING TO COME HOME 797 01:13:50,296 --> 01:13:53,266 AND NOT -- NOTHING >> Reporter: AND THEN? PROSECUTOR BOOTH AND SUDANO'S 798 01:13:53,266 --> 01:14:04,411 TRIAL PREP WAS INTERUPTED. >> WE WERE REALLY CLOSE TO TRIAL. 799 01:14:04,411 --> 01:14:10,083 WE WERE WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID 800 01:14:10,083 --> 01:14:16,456 THAT -- THAT MAYBE IT WAS WORTH TALKING. >> Reporter: FIGUEROA'S 801 01:14:16,456 --> 01:14:19,159 ATTORNEYS WANTED TO MAKE A DEAL. >> WE SAID TO THEM, "YOU KNOW BEFORE WE EVER ENTERTAIN 802 01:14:19,159 --> 01:14:20,794 ANYTHING, HE HAS TO GIVE US RITA BACK." >> Reporter: AND THEY SAID, YES! 803 01:14:20,794 --> 01:14:22,629 WHAT'D YOU THINK WHEN YOU HEARD THAT >> WE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT. 804 01:14:22,629 --> 01:14:32,272 >> WE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT. WE THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA FALL APART AT EVERY POSSIBLE MOMENT 805 01:14:50,323 --> 01:14:55,095 CHOICE TAKE HIS CHANCES IN A MURDER TRIAL. 806 01:14:55,095 --> 01:14:58,732 OR BARGAIN FOR A DEAL. THE PRICE OF GETTING SUCH A DEAL 807 01:14:58,732 --> 01:15:10,343 TWO THINGS FIGUEROA WOULD HAVE TO TELL THEM WHAT HE DID TO RITA, AND HE'D 808 01:15:10,343 --> 01:15:14,581 HAVE TO REVEAL WHERE HE DUMPED HER BODY WOULD HE DO IT 809 01:15:14,581 --> 01:15:17,217 PROSECUTOR BOOTH DIDN'T KNOW DETECTIVE CODY CLARK DIDN'T KNOW 810 01:15:17,217 --> 01:15:23,556 >> I WANT TO SAY IT WAS, LIKE, A DAY OR TWO OF JUST SITTING ON PINS AND NEEDLES 811 01:15:23,556 --> 01:15:28,328 >> Reporter: AND THEN AN EMAIL ARRIVED. AND HERE IT WAS, SIX WORDS 812 01:15:28,328 --> 01:15:33,600 "I, JUAN FIGUEROA, KILLED RITA GUTTIEREZ." BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE IN 813 01:15:33,600 --> 01:15:42,075 THAT EMAIL, TOO. SOMETHING KIND OF AMAZING. BECAUSE WHO WOULD THINK OF 814 01:15:42,075 --> 01:15:50,383 KEEPING A SPECIFIC BIT OF INFORMATION LIKE THIS? >> IT HAD GPS COORDINATES FOR US 815 01:15:50,383 --> 01:15:51,685 TO LOCATE RITA WE NEVER EXPECTED -- >> Reporter: IT WAS MORE - 816 01:15:51,685 --> 01:15:55,822 >> -- THAT >> Reporter: -- THAN YOU THOUGHT. 817 01:15:55,822 --> 01:16:00,060 >> OH, IT WAS MORE THAN WE THOUGHT. >> Reporter: AS THE SUN ROSE THE 818 01:16:00,060 --> 01:16:06,900 NEXT MORNING, THE COPS WHERE THERE, THE LAWYERS, ALL WERE THERE. 819 01:16:06,900 --> 01:16:09,569 MAYBE HE WAS LYING, SITTING BACK IN HIS CELL ENJOYING THIS. OR MAYBE NOT 820 01:16:09,569 --> 01:16:13,239 BUT THIS WAS IT, THEIR BEST AND MAYBE LAST CHANCE OF FINDING RITA 821 01:16:13,239 --> 01:16:23,283 THEY STARED OUT AT THAT WIDE VISTA, EVEN WITH COORDINATES, THIS WASN'T GOING TO BE EASY 822 01:16:23,283 --> 01:16:31,224 >> I WAS REALLY STARTING TO GET DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE OF THE TERRAIN. 823 01:16:31,224 --> 01:16:32,959 AND WE WERE IN SUPER HIGH CATTAILS AND IT WAS SO THICK. 824 01:16:32,959 --> 01:16:35,428 I REMEMBER I WAS LIKE, "THIS IS GONNA BE LIKE FINDING A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK. 825 01:16:35,428 --> 01:16:37,063 >> Reporter: THEY SLOGGED AROUND 10 MINUTES, 20 MINUTES, 826 01:16:37,063 --> 01:16:43,370 40 MINUTES AND THEN SUDDENLY A SHOUT. IT WAS PROSECUTOR 827 01:16:43,370 --> 01:16:47,607 MICHELLE SUDANO. >> AND I SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE A WHITE PIECE OF BONE. 828 01:16:47,607 --> 01:16:58,218 >> Reporter: THERE IT WAS, WHAT WAS LEFT OF A BODY NO DOUBT. HUMAN REMAINS UNDER A THICKET OF 829 01:16:58,218 --> 01:17:06,092 CATTAILS >> WE WERE REALLY LUCKY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE CATTAILS IN THIS 830 01:17:06,092 --> 01:17:08,028 AREA WEREN'T UP TO YOUR CHEST, WHICH THEY WERE EVERYWHERE ELSE. >> Reporter: EVENTUALLY THEY GOT 831 01:17:08,028 --> 01:17:10,330 DNA CONFIRMATION RITA GUTTIEREZ-GARCIA WAS MISSING NO LONGER. 832 01:17:10,330 --> 01:17:15,602 YOU FOUND HER. >> WE FOUND HER. >> Reporter: DETECTIVE CLARK 833 01:17:15,602 --> 01:17:23,576 DREADED TELLING RITA'S FAMILY. >> I KNEW THAT IT WAS GONNA BE ONE OF THE HARDEST CONVERSATIONS 834 01:17:23,576 --> 01:17:30,650 THAT I HAD WITH THEM, BECAUSE IT -- IT WAS THAT FINALITY THAT SHE WASN'T COMING BACK HOME 835 01:17:30,650 --> 01:17:35,889 ALIVE. >> Reporter: HE MET DIANNE AND RITA'S SISTERS AT THE POLICE 836 01:17:35,889 --> 01:17:50,503 STATION. >> EVERYONE WAS THERE. YOU KNOW, RITA'S A-TEAM. 837 01:17:50,503 --> 01:17:58,978 WE ALL STARTED CRYING. WE WERE JUST LIKE, "WHAT?" YOU KNOW, LIKE, "OH, MY GOD. 838 01:17:58,978 --> 01:18:01,648 THEY DID WHAT THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO AND -- I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT 839 01:18:01,648 --> 01:18:03,316 THEY GAVE ME MY DAUGHTER BACK. CODY KEPT HIS PROMISE. >> Reporter: BUT REMEMBER, AS 840 01:18:03,316 --> 01:18:12,692 PART OF HIS PLEA DEAL, JUAN AGREED TO TELL INVESTIGATORS AND PROSECUTORS EXACTLY WHAT 841 01:18:12,692 --> 01:18:15,862 HAPPENED TO RITA >> WHEN WE WENT INTO THAT INTERVIEW, WE HAD NOT TOLD HIS 842 01:18:15,862 --> 01:18:21,234 DEFENSE COUNSEL OR, OBVIOUSLY, THEN NOR DID HE KNOW, THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY RECOVERED RITA AT 843 01:18:21,234 --> 01:18:25,372 THAT POINT SO, SOME OF THE DETAILS HE PROVIDED WE COULD MATCH AND KNOW 844 01:18:25,372 --> 01:18:27,107 WAS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HAD LOCATED AT THE CRIME SCENE >> Reporter: FOR NEARLY FOUR 845 01:18:27,107 --> 01:18:39,652 HOURS, JUAN TOLD HIS STORY AS INVESTIGATORS LISTENED INTENTLY TO SEE IF IT RANG TRUE 846 01:18:39,652 --> 01:18:48,094 >> JUAN CLAIMED THAT, AFTER MEETING RITA, HE OFFERRED HER A RIDE HOME. 847 01:18:48,094 --> 01:18:49,863 >> AND SHE SAID, YEAH. SO, WE TURNED AROUND AND WE'RE WALKING BACK TO MY CAR CASUALLY, 848 01:18:49,863 --> 01:18:51,831 YOU KNOW AND WE WALKED ABOUT 10 STEPS AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, SHE HAD 849 01:18:51,831 --> 01:18:56,069 STOPPED, LOOKED AT ME, AND SHE'S LIKE, YOU'RE A WEIRDO. AND, YOU KNOW, I -- I MEAN, I -- 850 01:18:56,069 --> 01:19:02,375 I SNAPPED. I GOT MAD AND I PUNCHED HER WITH MY RIGHT HAND. 851 01:19:02,375 --> 01:19:14,587 AND SHE -- SHE FELL TO THE GROUND AND SHE HIT HER HEAD REALLY HARD ON THE CONCRETE. 852 01:19:14,587 --> 01:19:16,156 >> Reporter: HE SAID HE PANICKED AFTER PUNCHING HER AND PUT HER IN HIS TRUCK 853 01:19:16,156 --> 01:19:22,796 >> I WAS JUST STILL ANGRY, LIKE, JUST MAD AND I JUST GRAB HER, I JUST 854 01:19:22,796 --> 01:19:32,539 START CHOKING HER. I HELD HER LIKE THAT FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES 855 01:19:32,539 --> 01:19:36,743 I LET GO AND I SAT AT THE TRUCK AND I REALIZED WHAT I JUST DID >> Reporter: HE STARTED DRIVING 856 01:19:36,743 --> 01:19:43,116 AROUND, HE SAID, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT WHEN HE NOTICED RITA'S PHONE. 857 01:19:43,116 --> 01:20:01,434 REMEMBER THAT LAST CALL FROM HER PHONE, TO 911? >> I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT 858 01:20:01,434 --> 01:20:03,737 HOW TO DISABLE THE PHONE AND I ACCIDENTALLY CALLED 911. >> Reporter: IT WAS JUAN WHO 859 01:20:03,737 --> 01:20:05,739 MADE THE CALL, NOT RITA. OF COURSE, INVESTIGATORS HAD TO ASK. 860 01:20:05,739 --> 01:20:07,340 >> DID YOU HAVE SEX WITH HER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT >> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. 861 01:20:07,340 --> 01:20:08,742 >> OKAY. >> Reporter: DID YOU EVER BELIEVE HE WAS TELLING THE WHOLE 862 01:20:08,742 --> 01:20:11,244 TRUTH HERE >> NO, I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOME SUSPICION THAT MORE 863 01:20:11,244 --> 01:20:13,246 HAPPENED, JUST KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED WITH KAYLENE. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE 864 01:20:13,246 --> 01:20:19,552 COULD PROVE. >> Reporter: THEY COULDN'T PROVE JUAN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED RITA, 865 01:20:19,552 --> 01:20:30,130 BUT DETECTIVE CLARK IS CONVINCED THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE HE STRANGLED HER TO 866 01:20:30,130 --> 01:20:35,402 DEATH. WITH JUAN'S CONFESSION, THERE WOULD BE NO TRIAL. 867 01:20:35,402 --> 01:20:37,337 AND IN JUNE 2022, HE WAS SENTENCED. >> HOW DO YOU PLEAD TO ADDED 868 01:20:37,337 --> 01:20:40,140 COUNT FOUR, MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE >> GUILTY. 869 01:20:40,140 --> 01:20:45,645 >> Reporter: THE JUDGE GAVE HIM 48 YEARS ON TOP OF THE 93 YEARS HE WAS SERVING FOR THE RAPE AND 870 01:20:45,645 --> 01:20:56,523 ATTEMPTED MURDER OF KAYLENE. AFTER THE SENTENCING, RITA'S FAMILY SPOKE TO THE MEDIA. 871 01:20:56,523 --> 01:21:03,897 >> WE HAVE THIS VICTORY AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE RITA THE PEACE AND THE REST HER 872 01:21:03,897 --> 01:21:05,532 BODY NEEDS >> Reporter: AT A MEMORIAL SERVICE MONTHS LATER, RITA'S 873 01:21:05,532 --> 01:21:11,838 FRIENDS AND FAMILY, WERE FINALLY ABLE TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE AND DIANNE INVITED ALL THE 874 01:21:11,838 --> 01:21:15,075 DETECTIVES AND THE PROSECUTORS TOO. SHE CALLED YOU THE A-TEAM, 875 01:21:15,075 --> 01:21:23,983 RIGHT? >> THEY'RE THE A-TEAM. THEY REALLY WERE FABULOUS. 876 01:21:23,983 --> 01:21:26,353 WE WORKED AS A TEAM. TEAM RITA. THEY ASKED DETECTIVE CLARK TO 877 01:21:26,353 --> 01:21:27,821 GIVE THE EULOGY. NOT AN EASY THING TO DO. >> Reporter: HOW DO I WRITE A 878 01:21:27,821 --> 01:21:40,600 EULOGY FOR SOMEBODY THAT I DIDN'T KNOW, THAT I'D NEVER MET? >> AND SO I TRIED TO JUST DO THE 879 01:21:40,600 --> 01:21:43,870 BEST THAT I COULD TO KIND OF MEMORIALIZE WHAT I KNEW ABOUT HER AND HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT 880 01:21:43,870 --> 01:21:46,272 SHE HAD HAD ON ME, EVEN THOUGH I'D NEVER KNOWN HER. >> OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, 881 01:21:46,272 --> 01:21:49,309 I'VE LEARNED ABOUT RITA FROM DOZENS, IF NOT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE 882 01:21:49,309 --> 01:21:54,114 WHAT I SAW WAS A BRAVE WOMAN, A STRONG MOTHER. HER SONS' LIVES ARE PROOF THAT A 883 01:21:54,114 --> 01:22:09,362 MOTHER'S LOVE IS A POWERFUL FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. >> Reporter: AND RIGHT THERE 884 01:22:09,362 --> 01:22:11,731 LISTENING TO IT ALL WAS KAYLENE, THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO WILL BE FOREVER CONNECTED TO RITA. 885 01:22:11,731 --> 01:22:13,900 >> Reporter: I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY EVER WOULD HAVE SOLVED HER CASE IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR YOU 886 01:22:13,900 --> 01:22:15,568 >> EVERYTHING PLAYED OUT -- IT PLAYED OUT THE WAY IT DID FOR A REASON, YOU KNOW 887 01:22:15,568 --> 01:22:20,473 >> Reporter: WHAT WAS THE REASON >> SO I COULD GET HIM, AND THEY 888 01:22:20,473 --> 01:22:24,711 COULD HOLD HIM, AND, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY COULD FIND HER, AND THEY COULD GET THE TRUTH 889 01:22:24,711 --> 01:22:29,983 >> Reporter: AND DIANNE? SHE LIKES TO VISIT THE PARK WHERE RITA'S TREE STILL STANDS 890 01:22:29,983 --> 01:22:31,685 >> IT JUST BLOOMS SO BEAUTIFULLY. IT'S GREEN AND THE -- IT -- THE 891 01:22:31,685 --> 01:22:36,856 VINES, THEY KINDA, LIKE, TWINE, YOU KNOW AND IT JUST SPIRALS UP 892 01:22:36,856 --> 01:22:44,230 AND -- IT'S JUST GROWN SO MUCH IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. >> Reporter: YOU LIGHT UP WHEN 893 01:22:44,230 --> 01:22:51,638 YOU TALK ABOUT THE TREE. >> I LOVE THAT TREE BECAUSE IT JUST REMINDS ME OF -- OF RITA. 894 01:22:51,638 --> 01:22:56,943 >> Reporter: AND SHE SITS ON THE BENCH THAT CODY CLARK HELPED RAISE MONEY FOR, IN RITA'S 895 01:22:56,943 --> 01:23:00,747 MEMORY THERE'S A PLAQUE ON IT "FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES, WE 896 01:23:00,747 --> 01:23:07,487 WILL SEARCH FOR MOMENTS FULL OF YOU. >> I DIDN'T GET RITA BACK AS A 897 01:23:07,487 --> 01:23:16,496 PERSON AND AS A BODY BUT I GOT RITA BACK. I WON'T LET NO ONE TAKE THAT 898 01:23:16,496 --> 01:23:25,472 FROM ME. >> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF DATELINE. 899 01:23:25,472 --> 01:23:27,374 WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN SUNDAY AT SEVEN, SIX CENTRAL AND OF COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU EACH 900 01:23:27,374 --> 01:23:30,176 COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU EACH WEEKNIGHT FOR "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS."